Adventures of the Pierce Family
by The American Surgeon
Summary: HM story about their family life. Hope you have fun.
1. Chapter 1

WARNING:

This is just for FUN. Nothing has been researched, it was all in FUN. I hope you enjoy this. Oh, there will be more too. The characters don't belong to us.

Where was she? It was almost eight; she was over an hour later than she said she was going to be. As if the day hadn't already been long enough, now he had four children hanging off him. Some crying, some whining, but it was getting to be too much. In his arm was a ten month old that was overtired and looking for her mother. Her three older brothers were going from one thing to the next, fighting over every little item and detail. All of them were waiting for the same thing; their mother.

When she first told him about how she and her friends were planning a girls day, no husbands, no children, he thought it was a wonderful idea. It wasn't until later that he learned she literally meant all day. If it wasn't for the fact that their kids were just getting over a little bug they picked up, he wouldn't have been at all concerned about spending the day alone with them.

The day hadn't started out too bad; it wasn't until dinner time when things started to go wild. He knew they should have stopped at the first boy, but that would have meant no more sex and he'd have ten kids rather than stop having sex with his wife. The evenings weren't normally as chaotic as they were now, but then again he wasn't usually left alone with them all day. At least not all four of them.

"Ben," Hawkeye called over his oldest son. Ben had been sitting on the floor working on a puzzle when his father called him from the couch. He turned around and looked over at him. "Watch your sister for me for a minute," he told him as he laid the baby on the carpet on her stomach. "I'm going to find your brothers."

He stood up and started walking through the house. James had been watching television in the office and Matthew was supposed to be on his way back from the bathroom. That was twenty minutes ago. Suddenly he heard the shouting; it was coming from the first floor bathroom.

When he walked in his eyes widened. They were both wet. Upon hearing their father's footsteps they both turned their heads and looked up at him. He was standing over them with his arms folded and his eyes narrowed. Instantly they stopped splashing and turned around.

"Daddy, he..."

Instead of arguing he picked them both up and carried them out under his arms. He carried them out into the living room and deposited them on the couch. "You stay right there," he told each one sternly and then left the room to get a towel. Hawkeye sighed heavily, his head was throbbing and there was a small sharp pain his groin. As he walked into the bathroom he cupped himself with his hand. It was actually painful.

Those boys... They could find a way to get into trouble in an empty padded room. Hawkeye's father said they were just as mischievous has he had been, but he couldn't believe that. There was only one of him, and he had three sons. He did his best to clean up the mess in the bathroom without leaving all of them alone for too long.

Coming back into the living room the two boys were still on the couch, but they were fighting again. Luckily Ben was keeping his sister entertained for the time being. "Alright you two, I've had enough."

"But I didn't..."

He growled loudly causing both boys to freeze and look up at him. He would have sent them to their room, but that wouldn't have done a damn thing. "Go get your pajamas on," he told them.

"By ourselves!" They were in disbelief.

No, sending them upstairs together would just result in more fighting. "James, go put your pajamas on." He'd help Matthew when James was done. "And then come back downstairs."

"Yes sir," he said timidly and got off the couch. Hawkeye sat down next to Matthew. He picked up the towel and started to dry his face and wet hair.

"Dad." Hawkeye looked up. Ben was sitting on the floor with Eve. "She's trying to eat my puzzle pieces."

She was hungry. Margaret still breast fed her at night. He laid the towel on the couch. "Okay, I can take her now." He stood up and walked over and picked her up off the floor.

"Ben, when your brother comes down I want you to go get changed for bed."

"Okay."

Hawkeye gave the baby a teething ring. If she could hold out a little longer hopefully her mother would be home to feed her. She stayed cradled in his arm while she chewed on the toy. Earlier that day he saw some clean laundry somewhere...maybe it was in the corner of the kitchen. He walked over there and found it. It was filled with the kids' clothes. "Aha! We can get Matthew changed and try to put the little monsters to bed."

He went back into the living room and helped his youngest son get dressed and ready for bed. He sent him upstairs with Ben so they could brush their teeth. Eve was starting to get fussy, but if he could make her wait for her mother, then that's what he was going to do. 

The three boys were back downstairs when they saw the headlights of their mother's car come into the driveway. "Daddy! She's home!" James said excitedly. 

"Oh, thank God!" Hawkeye was pacing the floors with Eve trying to get her to stay relatively calm. 

The boys were standing by the door when she opened it. "Mommy!" They all charged her at once. Margaret nearly fell over; she had to hold onto them to keep her balance.

"Well hello." Their arms were wrapped tightly around her legs and waist.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Margaret smiled. "Mmm, I missed you all so much." She gave each of them a kiss. "Did you have fun with daddy?"

"It was okay," Ben answered with a shrug. Margaret smiled and stroked his hair.

"Where is daddy?"

"He's right here." She looked up to see her husband standing in the hallway. He was rubbing the baby's back, trying to keep her calm. Margaret could tell it was starting to lose its effect. She was restless and becoming fussy. "She's hungry," Hawkeye told her.

"I'm sorry I'm so late," she told him as she tried to separate herself from the tired little boys.

"Come on boys," Hawkeye said. "Time for bed."

James distanced himself and Ben walked up beside his father, but Matthew was still clinging to Margaret's leg. She picked him up. "I'll tuck them in and then I'll come down and feed her."

He looked down at his daughter's face. Her lip was starting to curl. "She's been very patient with me today, and I think it's just about run out."

Margaret rubbed her daughter's back and gave her a kiss. She looked at her watch. "No, she'll be okay for a few more minutes. I'll hurry."

Hawkeye didn't want to get Eve to the point of crying and screaming, but Margaret did know the baby's schedule better than he did and she wouldn't let the baby get too hungry. "We'll manage for a few more minutes."

She reached up and kissed him. "Thank you honey."

"Mhmm."

"Alright boys, let's get you in bed."

"Mommy, can't we stay up just a little bit with you?" James asked as he was herded up the stairs by his mother.

"Sorry, buddy. It's bedtime."

Ben thought he could get around that. "But Mom, we haven't seen you today."

"You're seeing me right now."

"But..."

"It's bedtime," she said firmly. "We have tomorrow to spend together."

Ben sighed. "We just love you is all, Mommy."

She smiled. He was trying to use guilt, but it wasn't going to work. "I love you boys too, but that doesn't change the fact that its bedtime." She sent him to his room and told him she would be right there after she tucked his brothers in. 

Fifteen minutes later when Margaret made it downstairs Hawkeye was pacing the kitchen floor with the baby. He was trying his best to keep her calm but she had reached her breaking point and was beginning to cry. "I'm here," Margaret announced as she walked into the kitchen unbuttoning her blouse. "Mommy's here," she said in a soothing voice to the baby as she took her from Hawkeye's arms. She carried her over to the kitchen table and sat down. As soon as the baby found Margaret's nipple the crying stopped and there was silence.

"Thank God," Hawkeye commented from across the room.

Margaret stroked the baby's head. "I'm sorry I was so late," she said to her husband.

"It's okay." He was just so relieved that she was home. "Did you have fun?"

She smiled brightly. "I really did."

He leaned against the counter. "I'm glad."

"How were things here?" She asked.

"Ohh..." He closed his eyes. "Hectic."

Margaret smiled. He looked exhausted. "Well, now you can go to bed and sleep for eight hours."

He looked over at her and cocked one eyebrow. "Not with our monsters."

She looked down at the baby. "She'll probably sleep in a little later tomorrow." Margaret looked back over at her husband to see him bent over with his hand on his groin.

"Yeah, but that still leaves the boys."

"No offense, but I don't think its you they'll want in the morning." She watched him for a moment. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine."

She gave him an odd look. "Why are you touching yourself?"

"Just... I don't know." 

Margaret jumped slightly and gasped. "Honey, calm down."

"Her teeth?"

"Yes," she looked up at him. "She's starting to bite." 

Hawkeye smiled. "She's been waiting a long time for you."

"I know. I lost track of time. Tell me about your day."

He moved over to the table and pulled out one of the chairs. He leaned back and adjusted himself in his pants. "There's not too much to tell. You already know our sons are hellions. We've been stuck inside all day with this rain. It just wore on us."

"Are you sure you're okay?" He never stopped touching himself.

"You can check later if you'd like."

But he hadn't been smiling when he said that. He looked like he was in pain. Margaret was concerned. "Honey, what's wrong?" 

"Just..." He shook his head. "Nothing."

In all the years they'd been together they'd never experienced any sexual problems. Once he'd gotten an elbow to the groin playing football, but that had just resulted in him spending the night with a bag of ice and a towel. Not once in eight years had he ever been impotent or in serious pain. He'd never even had a bladder infection. "Did something happen?" He was always roughhousing with the boys.

"No."

"Ben." He looked up when she called him by his given name. She looked worried. "I'm concerned."

He really didn't know how to explain it. "I just have this...feeling."

She was growing increasingly worried. "Is it a painful feeling?" She asked.

"It's dull."

Her nurse side was starting to kick in. "Does it hurt to urinate?" If so then that probably meant he had an infection.

He shook his head. "No."

He was still holding himself. "Maybe I should take a look after I've put her down."

"You're probably tired. Why don't you just go to bed?"

"It isn't even nine o'clock. I spent the better part of the day at a spa; don't you think I could stay awake longer than the kids?"

He nodded. "So, what else did you do today?'

"Oh, you know. The things that you don't like to do with me."

Hawkeye loved being with her. "What things are those?"

She looked down at her daughter. Her eyes were just now starting to droop, but she was eating vigorously. "Things like shopping, girl talk."

"Talking about husbands?"

"Some, yes. They are all jealous." She smiled looking at him. "I have a handsome husband who loves his children. Did you know almost everyone had to coax their husbands into staying home all day with their very own children? One of them even had to get her mother to watch them for the day because her husband said he had plans." All she had to do was ask and he was more than happy to do it. Of course it hadn't been easy, but staying home with four children was never easy.

Hawkeye stood to his feet. Sitting wasn't very comfortable. "Those boys kept me busy. It seems like the older they get the more trouble they find to get into."

"Don't I know it. You can tell you're their father."

"I was never like that. They go from one thing to the next. Do you know I found Jamie and Matt in the bathroom down here. They had the sink filled with water and had some little match box cars just splashing around like they belonged there." He was at the sink getting a glass of water.

"You should have sent them to the tub. Those two will stay in there for hours if you let them."

"Not tonight. All they did was fight today. One of them would have end up drowned in the tub."

The baby had stopped sucking so she pulled her away from her breast and put her on her shoulder. She stood up and walked over to him. "You're acting funny. Was your day that bad?"

"No, not bad. Just busy. I'm glad you're home."

"Aww, I didn't think you'd miss me."

Was she kidding? "You gonna put her down?"

"Yes." She reached up and kissed him. "Then I'll be back down to look at you. I just hope the boys didn't pick up that habit today."

"It's not a habit. It's just not right for some reason."

"Take those pants off and I'll be right back down." She gave him another kiss, this time it lasted longer and she put her tongue into his mouth. Something stirred within him and his groin suddenly became more painful. 

He held down a groan of pain as she walked out of the kitchen with the baby. When she had disappeared into the hallway he moved his hand back to his groin and spread his legs a little. What was happening to him? He couldn't remember getting injured and there wasn't the slightest chance that he had VD. It didn't hurt when he urinated and it didn't hurt when he came. It was just some freak pain that ran from the head to his testicles.

Wait a minute, had she just told him to take off his pants in the kitchen? There were a million windows in there.

Oh well, it was night and they had a fairly secluded piece of property. The kids were sleeping. It would just be the two of them. He undid the buckle to his pants and pushed them down slowly. He stepped out of them and then looked down his boxers. Nothing stood out, except that he was getting hard. 

Hawkeye went into the living room and sat on the couch, his legs were spread and his hand was cupping his crotch again. He was getting worried now. He heard Margaret walking down the stairs and called to her. "I'm in the living room."

She appeared in the doorway and stopped when she saw his pose. His face was contorted in what some would say was pain, but she knew that look. He was tense and stressed. 

"Do you want to tell me about your day?" She asked in a soft voice.

He closed his eyes. "Why did we have to have four kids?"

She walked into the living room. "Because we like having sex." Although lately, no one would have guessed that. Between the kids and work they never had the energy or the privacy. That's why going out for the day had been so important to Margaret.

"But three boys?" He asked.

"That's your fault," she told him. "Those were your Y chromosomes."

"I was never that...energetic when I was a kid."

Margaret smiled. "I'm sure you were."

He opened his eyes. "Enough to give my father genital pain?"

"I don't know about that. You may have to ask him yourself." She sat down next to him. "Let's just make sure nothing important is... broken." She looked at him.

"I'm not impotent, if that's what you mean."

"I know you're not. You don't think I felt that thing in my back half the night?" 

He glanced at her through the corner of his eye. "You could have done something about it."

"Well, I had a full day ahead of me. I needed my rest." She gave him a kiss. 

Hawkeye sighed. She never wanted to have sex anymore. Lately every time her perused her she would push him away and roll over before anything even happened. There was always some reason why. During the day she would be touchy, but at night when they were finally alone she back away, read some of her book, and then went right to sleep.

"I had a full day here to you know."

"I know, baby. I've spent the entire day with these kids too. They have more energy than any children I know."

"It's not that. They just have this nose for trouble."

"Like their father." She kissed his nose. "Now how about you show me what's bothering you." He kept his hands over his groin. Hawkeye was reluctant to let her touch him. Just kissing her had caused the pain to increase. "Come on," she coaxed him. If anything his ego was hurting more than his penis. "I promise I'll be gentle," she told him sincerely.

It took him a moment, but slowly he moved his hands and lifted up enough to pull his boxers down to the middle of his thighs.

It had been a while since Margaret had last seen his penis. After nine years of sleeping together she was still taken back by how big he was. Lately the only naked men she got to see where the ones who ran around the house protesting taking their baths. Immediately she began to visually assess him. He didn't appear swollen or discolored. Maybe the head looked a little flushed. "Can you push them down a little more?"

He obliged and pushed them down to his knees.

Margaret put her hand on his knee. "Take a nice big breath and then slowly exhale." She could tell he was uncomfortable like that, he kept trying to close his legs. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he exhaled Margaret moved her hand between his legs and gently cupped his testicles.

"Ahh!" He tensed up.

"Shhh." She was trying to soothe him more than quiet him. "I'm not going to do anything," she reassured him. His breathing began to slow again. "Just try and relax."

He swallowed hard and nodded his head. After few moments she began to slowly massage his testicles. "Ooooooh," he suddenly groaned loudly. It felt similar to getting a foot cramp worked out.

"I have to say honey, this is very strange. All these years and nothing like this has ever happened."

"Don't remind me."

Hawkeye leaned his head back against the couch. In a way it was nice to have her touch him again, but the reason why made him feel less like a man and more like a ... he didn't know what. "Are you feeling any different?"

"Some." He was to that point now where if felt like a massage. There wasn't any harm in telling her not to stop. She didn't seem to mind.

"It's like your testicals are knotted up. Can that happen?"

"I'm not a proctologist. How would I know?"

"You're a man. You should know what can happen to you."

He opened his eyes. "You didn't know everything that could happen to you the first time you were pregnant."

"That's different."

"It was your body." He closed his eyes again. It was starting to feel really good.

"I was pregnant. It was like something else had control of my body. It just isn't comparable."

"That doesn't mean that this doesn't hurt!"

"Shhh." The last thing they needed was for someone to wake up and walk downstairs to see Hawkeye with his shorts pulled down and Margaret massaging his balls.

"They wouldn't wake up now if you started lobbing artillery shells in the hallway." He spread his legs a little more.

"How is that feeling?" He seemed to be a little more relaxed.

"Better," he sighed. He could feel the tension being alleviated.

Margaret looked down at his penis again. Had it really been that long since they had last made love? It looked inviting, as long and thick as it was, and she was feeling very relaxed. "Are you having any pain?"

"Just a dull ache." She leaned in and kissed him, pushing her tongue into mouth and running it along his. "Mmm." He opened his eyes and licked his lips. She had taken him by surprise. "Did something happen at the spa?"

"I just realized how much I've been neglecting you."

"It's hard when you have to juggle work and four kids." However, there had been a few instances when they had had the opportunity, but she had preferred to read her book instead. She was a terrific mother and a devoted wife, but sometimes he just needed a good fuck. Too many times she had turned him down and he had been forced to masturbate.

"You're a wonderful husband." She kissed him again.

That made him smile. "Well, you're not such a bad wife."

"I could be better."

"You're terrific."

Slowly she moved to straddle him, kissing him while doing so. "I've been letting my wifely duties go lately."

"Life has been...busy." He was still smiling. 

She sat back on his lap and looked at him. His penis was starting to rise in between their bodies. "The kids don't run our lives."

He arched an eyebrow. He didn't blame them, they were just little kids, and he loved them more than life itself. However, when the four of them were mixed with work schedules, meetings with teachers, activities, their own schedules, it seemed as though something else was running their lives and he had no control. "We don't seem to run our lives anymore."

Her husband was so dramatic. He had one hectic day with the kids. Margaret knew who was in control and it certainly wasn't a 7 year old, a five year old, a 4 year old, or a 10 month old. 

"Well, they're all sleeping now." She kissed his lips.

"What happened at the spa?" She was actually being flirty. It was a little...unusual.

"Well, we were all talking about our husbands..." She kissed his jaw. "That kind of stuff."

"You mean like, bedroom stuff?"

"Not necessarily." She kissed him again, pushing her tongue into his mouth.

"What got you so aroused?" He asked when they parted.

She shrugged. Her day had been very relaxing and listening to some of her friends talk about their husbands, she realized what a terrific husband she had. He was so attentive to her and to their children. Everything he did he did for their family. He was just a wonderful man and she knew how lucky she was to have him.

"Did you do something else at that spa? Maybe some erotic massage?"

"You're the only man who can give me an erotic massage."

He moved his hands to her hips. "I'm up for that if you are."

She nodded. "I think you're the one that could use the massage. You've had a rough day." She kissed him. "My poor baby."

Hawkeye's hands moved around to the buttons of her blouse. She hadn't buttoned her blouse very carefully after she fed the baby. "Let's go upstairs."

She shook her head. "Let's stay here. This is our house."

"What about the boys?"

"You said they were dead to the world." She leaned down and kissed his neck. He smelled of old spice and after shave lotion.

He had said that. Then again, ever since he'd caught them playing spy in their bedroom he'd become extra cautious. He'd been hard and just about to take off his jeans when he heard whispering from under the bed. "Jamie hasn't been sleeping well lately..."

"He fell asleep within three minutes." She kissed his jaw. "He was exhausted. We won't have to worry about him tonight." She kissed her way up to playfully bite his ear. "A little light humping wouldn't wake anyone up."

Hawkeye was becoming more aroused. "What is it that you wanted to do?"

"I have several ideas." She kissed his lips. "It depends on how spontaneous you're feeling."

"Well, you've gotten a rise out of me."

"Mmm, I'm so wet." She licked his cheek. "I'm positively soaked."

Soaked? How could she be that wet in such a sort amount of time? She must have been thinking about it earlier. "Are you sure that wasn't an erotic spa you went to?"

"Only if you count the fact that I was thinking about your big cock during my massage."

"I didn't think you thought about it anymore."

"How could I not? Just that time isn't always available for us."

Their kids were in bed hours before they were. "We have time."

A few days ago he had come home from work and went to bed before the boys did. "Time and energy."

"Yeah, well that's different." He pushed her blouse off her shoulders. "We have it now."

She pulled back and looked at him seriously. "I know you're tired today. If you'd rather not..."

"Oh shut up."

She grinned and kissed him again. "Just making sure." Her hands moved through his hair. "How are you feeling now?"

"Like a normal aroused man."

"Good." She ground herself against him causing a loud moan escape from his lips. "Did you get the laundry done?"

"What?"

"I left a list for you..."

He sighed. "Margaret...all of that can wait until tomorrow." He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "Don't you think?"

She shrugged. He was still holding her face. "I told Ben we'd do something together as a family tomorrow."

"We can still do that."

"But if that list isn't finished.."

"The kids won't give a damn if we make them wait five more minutes so we can throw some laundry in."

She thought for a moment and then nodded. "You're absolutely right."

"Good," he smiled.

"Just one more thing."

"What!" This was the one time they were going to be together in..who knows how long. Now she was going to stop them.

"When are you going to fuck me?"

"I'm the one sitting here shortless." He was naked from the waist down.

She still had her pants on. "I was just so comfortable sitting there."

"I would be too if your dick was pressed against my clitoris."

She moved off his lap and began to take off her pants. "Oh wait," she stopped and looked at him.

He was reclined on the couch with his legs outstretched. His cock was sticking up in the air. "What?"

"We need a towel."

"I think there's a dirty one on the dryer."

"Let me get that quick," and she dashed out of the room.

Hawkeye put his hands behind his head. He was very excited. Finally, he was going to get some pussy. Maybe she'd even take pity on him and give him a blow job later on. As long as no one woke up, they could have a good time.

She walked back into the living room carrying two towels. "I thought it would be safer with an extra."

"Okay."

She finished taking off her pants and then moved to pull down her panties. "How are we going to do this?""Here." He took one from her and stood up to put it on the couch and then sat back down on it. "Okay," he grinned looking up at her. She was taking her bra off now. "Want to go for a ride, beautiful?""How much do you charge for that?""For you? Seeing as you are the mother of my children and we're married... I'll let you go for free." He winked.She tossed her bra to the floor and walked over to him, putting her knees on either side of his hips and sitting back against his lap. "You know, I can be a very hard customer to please.""Oh? I hadn't noticed." He cupped her breasts, letting his thumbs graze her nipples. "I must be a natural."

"Maybe you are, or maybe you're just a perfect fit for me." She sat there and let him play with her breasts for a little.

"Maybe." His mouth closed in on her nipple. It had been so long since he had done that. He just hopped she wasn't going to leak. That happened the first time they had sex after Ben was born and Hawkeye got a mouthful of breast milk.

But the baby had just eaten, so as long as he didn't suck too hard it should be okay. Ooh, it felt so much better when he was the one on her nipple than that little teething baby. "Ohh." She bit her lip. He was so good at that. "Honey..." He kissed her breasts and then her chest.

"You're already starting to leak." He could feel the moisture on his leg.

"I want to get on," she moaned.

"No." He put his hands on her hips. "Not yet." He wanted to hold out and let her arousal build.

"Yes." She tried to move, but he held her there. "Don't you want me?"

"You know I want you." His mouth moved back to her breasts. There was a day when they could spend hours with foreplay before they even thought of acting on it.

"Then let me get on." Her voice was pleading.

"Shhh." Hawkeye moved his lips up to hers. It was just about killing him not to be inside her, but it had been so long and there was no way of telling how long it would be until they got to do it again, so he wanted to make it last.

"Please, baby. I've been thinking about this all day. About you and me. About how we used to be."

"Then enjoy it."

"Don't you...ahhh." He was so good. "Remember when we used to ..." She paused to gather her thoughts. "Everyday..."

Please no mean reviews, it was all in fun.


	2. Chapter 2

Where was she? It was almost eight; she was over an hour later than she said she was going to be. As if the day hadn't already been long enough, now he had four children hanging off him. Some crying, some whining, but it was getting to be too much. In his arm was a ten month old that was overtired and looking for her mother. Her three older brothers were going from one thing to the next, fighting over every little item and detail. All of them were waiting for the same thing; their mother.

When she first told him about how she and her friends were planning a girls day, no husbands, no children, he thought it was a wonderful idea. It wasn't until later that he learned she literally meant all day. If it wasn't for the fact that their kids were just getting over a little bug they picked up, he wouldn't have been at all concerned about spending the day alone with them.

The day hadn't started out too bad; it wasn't until dinner time when things started to go wild. He knew they should have stopped at the first boy, but that would have meant no more sex and he'd have ten kids rather than stop having sex with his wife. The evenings weren't normally as chaotic as they were now, but then again he wasn't usually left alone with them all day. At least not all four of them.

"Ben," Hawkeye called over his oldest son. Ben had been sitting on the floor working on a puzzle when his father called him from the couch. He turned around and looked over at him. "Watch your sister for me for a minutes," he told him as he laid the baby on the carpet on her stomach. "I'm going to find your brothers."

He stood up and started walking through the house. James had been watching television in the office and Matthew was supposed to be on his way back from the bathroom. That was twenty minutes ago. Suddenly he heard the shouting; it was coming from the first floor bathroom.

When he walked in his eyes widened. They were both wet. Upon hearing their father's footsteps they both turned their heads and looked up at him. He was standing over them with his arms folded and his eyes narrowed. Instantly they stopped splashing and turned around.

"Daddy, he..."

Instead of arguing he picked them both up and carried them out under his arms. He carried them out into the living room and deposited them on the couch. "You stay right there," he told each one sternly and then left the room to get a towel. Hawkeye sighed heavily, his head was throbbing and there was a small sharp pain his groin. As he walked into the bathroom he cupped himself with his hand. It was actually painful.

Those boys... They could find a way to get into trouble in an empty padded room. Hawkeye's father said they were just as mischievous has he had been, but he couldn't believe that. There was only one of him, and he had three sons. He did his best to clean up the mess in the bathroom without leaving all of them alone for too long.

Coming back into the living room the two boys were still on the couch, but they were fighting again. Luckily Ben was keeping his sister entertained for the time being. "Alright you two, I've had enough."

"But I didn't..."

He growled loudly causing both boys to freeze and look up at him. He would have sent them to their room, but that wouldn't have done a damn thing. "Go get your pajamas on," he told them.

"By ourselves!" They were in disbelief.

No, sending them upstairs together would just result in more fighting. "James, go put your pajamas on." He'd help Matthew when James was done. "And then come back downstairs."

"Yes sir," he said timidly and got off the couch. Hawkeye sat down next to Matthew. He picked up the towel and started to dry his face and wet hair.

"Dad." Hawkeye looked up. Ben was sitting on the floor with Eve. "She's trying to eat my puzzle pieces."

She was hungry. Margaret still breast fed her at night. He laid the towel on the couch. "Okay, I can take her now." He stood up and walked over and picked her up off the floor.

"Ben, when your brother comes down I want you to go get changed for bed."

"Okay."

Hawkeye gave the baby a teething ring. If she could hold out a little longer hopefully her mother would be home to feed her. She stayed cradled in his arm while she chewed on the toy. Earlier that day he saw some clean laundry somewhere...maybe it was in the corner of the kitchen. He walked over there and found it. It was filled with the kids' clothes. "Aha! We can get Matthew changed and try to put the little monsters to bed."

He went back into the living room and helped his youngest son get dressed and ready for bed. He sent him upstairs with Ben so they could brush their teeth. Eve was starting to get fussy, but if he could make her wait for her mother, then that's what he was going to do. 

The three boys were back downstairs when they saw the headlights of their mother's car come into the driveway. "Daddy! She's home!" James said excitedly. 

"Oh, thank God!" Hawkeye was pacing the floors with Eve trying to get her to stay relatively calm. 

The boys were standing by the door when she opened it. "Mommy!" They all charged her at once. Margaret nearly fell over; she had to hold onto them to keep her balance.

"Well hello." Their arms were wrapped tightly around her legs and waist.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Margaret smiled. "Mmm, I missed you all so much." She gave each of them a kiss. "Did you have fun with daddy?"

"It was okay," Ben answered with a shrug. Margaret smiled and stroked his hair.

"Where is daddy?"

"He's right here." She looked up to see her husband standing in the hallway. He was rubbing the baby's back, trying to keep her calm. Margaret could tell it was starting to lose its effect. She was restless and becoming fussy. "She's hungry," Hawkeye told her.

"I'm sorry I'm so late," she told him as she tried to separate herself from the tired little boys.

"Come on boys," Hawkeye said. "Time for bed."

James distanced himself and Ben walked up beside his father, but Matthew was still clinging to Margaret's leg. She picked him up. "I'll tuck them in and then I'll come down and feed her."

He looked down at his daughter's face. Her lip was starting to curl. "She's been very patient with me today, and I think it's just about run out."

Margaret rubbed her daughter's back and gave her a kiss. She looked at her watch. "No, she'll be okay for a few more minutes. I'll hurry."

Hawkeye didn't want to get Eve to the point of crying and screaming, but Margaret did know the baby's schedule better than he did and she wouldn't let the baby get too hungry. "We'll manage for a few more minutes."

She reached up and kissed him. "Thank you honey."

"Mhmm."

"Alright boys, let's get you in bed."

"Mommy, can't we stay up just a little bit with you?" James asked as he was herded up the stairs by his mother.

"Sorry, buddy. It's bedtime."

Ben thought he could get around that. "But Mom, we haven't seen you today."

"You're seeing me right now."

"But..."

"It's bedtime," she said firmly. "We have tomorrow to spend together."

Ben sighed. "We just love you is all, Mommy."

She smiled. He was trying to use guilt, but it wasn't going to work. "I love you boys too, but that doesn't change the fact that its bedtime." She sent him to his room and told him she would be right there after she tucked his brothers in. 

Fifteen minutes later when Margaret made it downstairs Hawkeye was pacing the kitchen floor with the baby. He was trying his best to keep her calm but she had reached her breaking point and was beginning to cry. "I'm here," Margaret announced as she walked into the kitchen unbuttoning her blouse. "Mommy's here," she said in a soothing voice to the baby as she took her from Hawkeye's arms. She carried her over to the kitchen table and sat down. As soon as the baby found Margaret's nipple the crying stopped and there was silence.

"Thank God," Hawkeye commented from across the room.

Margaret stroked the baby's head. "I'm sorry I was so late," she said to her husband.

"It's okay." He was just so relieved that she was home. "Did you have fun?"

She smiled brightly. "I really did."

He leaned against the counter. "I'm glad."

"How were things here?" She asked.

"Ohh..." He closed his eyes. "Hectic."

Margaret smiled. He looked exhausted. "Well, now you can go to bed and sleep for eight hours."

He looked over at her and cocked one eyebrow. "Not with our monsters."

She looked down at the baby. "She'll probably sleep in a little later tomorrow." Margaret looked back over at her husband to see him bent over with his hand on his groin.

"Yeah, but that still leaves the boys."

"No offense, but I don't think it's you they'll want in the morning." She watched him for a moment. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine."

She gave him an odd look. "Why are you touching yourself?"

"Just... I don't know." 

Margaret jumped slightly and gasped. "Honey, calm down."

"Her teeth?"

"Yes," she looked up at him. "She's starting to bite." 

Hawkeye smiled. "She's been waiting a long time for you."

"I know. I lost track of time. Tell me about your day."

He moved over to the table and pulled out one of the chairs. He leaned back and adjusted himself in his pants. "There's not too much to tell. You already know our sons are hellions. We've been stuck inside all day with this rain. It just wore on us."

"Are you sure you're okay?" He never stopped touching himself.

"You can check later if you'd like."

But he hadn't been smiling when he said that. He looked like he was in pain. Margaret was concerned. "Honey, what's wrong?" 

"Just..." He shook his head. "Nothing."

In all the years they'd been together they'd never experienced any sexual problems. Once he'd gotten an elbow to the groin playing football, but that had just resulted in him spending the night with a bag of ice and a towel. Not once in eight years had he ever been impotent or in serious pain. He'd never even had a bladder infection. "Did something happen?" He was always roughhousing with the boys.

"No."

"Ben." He looked up when she called him by his given name. She looked worried. "I'm concerned."

He really didn't know how to explain it. "I just have this...feeling."

She was growing increasingly worried. "Is it a painful feeling?" She asked.

"It's dull."

Her nurse side was starting to kick in. "Does it hurt to urinate?" If so then that probably meant he had an infection.

He shook his head. "No."

He was still holding himself. "Maybe I should take a look after I've put her down."

"You're probably tired. Why don't you just go to bed?"

"It isn't even nine o'clock. I spent the better part of the day at a spa; don't you think I could stay awake longer than the kids?"

He nodded. "So, what else did you do today?'

"Oh, you know. The things that you don't like to do with me."

Hawkeye loved being with her. "What things are those?"

She looked down at her daughter. Her eyes were just now starting to droop, but she was eating vigorously. "Things like shopping, girl talk."

"Talking about husbands?"

"Some, yes. They are all jealous." She smiled looking at him. "I have a handsome husband who loves his children. Did you know almost everyone had to coax their husbands into staying home all day with their very own children? One of them even had to get her mother to watch them for the day because her husband said he had plans." All she had to do was ask and he was more than happy to do it. Of course it hadn't been easy, but staying home with four children was never easy.

Hawkeye stood to his feet. Sitting wasn't very comfortable. "Those boys kept me busy. It seems like the older they get the more trouble they find to get into."

"Don't I know it. You can tell you're their father."

"I was never like that. They go from one thing to the next. Do you know I found Jamie and Matt in the bathroom down here? They had the sink filled with water and had some little match box cars just splashing around like they belonged there." He was at the sink getting a glass of water.

"You should have sent them to the tub. Those two will stay in there for hours if you let them."

"Not tonight. All they did was fight today. One of them would have end up drowned in the tub."

The baby had stopped sucking so she pulled her away from her breast and put her on her shoulder. She stood up and walked over to him. "You're acting funny. Was your day that bad?"

"No, not bad. Just busy. I'm glad you're home."

"Aww, I didn't think you'd miss me."

Was she kidding? "You gonna put her down?"

"Yes." She reached up and kissed him. "Then I'll be back down to look at you. I just hope the boys didn't pick up that habit today."

"It's not a habit. It's just not right for some reason."

"Take those pants off and I'll be right back down." She gave him another kiss, this time it lasted longer and she put her tongue into his mouth. Something stirred within him and his groin suddenly became more painful. 

He held down a groan of pain as she walked out of the kitchen with the baby. When she had disappeared into the hallway he moved his hand back to his groin and spread his legs a little. What was happening to him? He couldn't remember getting injured and there wasn't the slightest chance that he had VD. It didn't hurt when he urinated and it didn't hurt when he came. It was just some freak pain that ran from the head to his testicles.

Wait a minute, had she just told him to take off his pants in the kitchen? There were a million windows in there.

Oh well, it was night and they had a fairly secluded piece of property. The kids were sleeping. It would just be the two of them. He undid the buckle to his pants and pushed them down slowly. He stepped out of them and then looked down his boxers. Nothing stood out, except that he was getting hard. 

Hawkeye went into the living room and sat on the couch, his legs were spread and his hand was cupping his crotch again. He was getting worried now. He heard Margaret walking down the stairs and called to her. "I'm in the living room."

She appeared in the doorway and stopped when she saw his pose. His face was contorted in what some would say was pain, but she knew that look. He was tense and stressed. 

"Do you want to tell me about your day?" She asked in a soft voice.

He closed his eyes. "Why did we have to have four kids?"

She walked into the living room. "Because we like having sex." Although lately, no one would have guessed that. Between the kids and work they never had the energy or the privacy. That's why going out for the day had been so important to Margaret.

"But three boys?" He asked.

"That's your fault," she told him. "Those were your Y chromosomes."

"I was never that...energetic when I was a kid."

Margaret smiled. "I'm sure you were."

He opened his eyes. "Enough to give my father genital pain?"

"I don't know about that. You may have to ask him yourself." She sat down next to him. "Let's just make sure nothing important is... broken." She looked at him.

"I'm not impotent, if that's what you mean."

"I know you're not. You don't think I felt that thing in my back half the night?" 

He glanced at her through the corner of his eye. "You could have done something about it."

"Well, I had a full day ahead of me. I needed my rest." She gave him a kiss. 

Hawkeye sighed. She never wanted to have sex anymore. Lately every time her perused her she would push him away and roll over before anything even happened. There was always some reason why. During the day she would be touchy, but at night when they were finally alone she back away, read some of her book, and then went right to sleep.

"I had a full day here too you know."

"I know, baby. I've spent the entire day with these kids too. They have more energy than any children I know."

"It's not that. They just have this nose for trouble."

"Like their father." She kissed his nose. "Now how about you show me what's bothering you." He kept his hands over his groin. Hawkeye was reluctant to let her touch him. Just kissing her had caused the pain to increase. "Come on," she coaxed him. If anything his ego was hurting more than his penis. "I promise I'll be gentle," she told him sincerely.

It took him a moment, but slowly he moved his hands and lifted up enough to pull his boxers down to the middle of his thighs.

It had been a while since Margaret had last seen his penis. After nine years of sleeping together she was still taken back by how big he was. Lately the only naked men she got to see where the ones who ran around the house protesting taking their baths. Immediately she began to visually assess him. He didn't appear swollen or discolored. Maybe the head looked a little flushed. "Can you push them down a little more?"

He obliged and pushed them down to his knees.

Margaret put her hand on his knee. "Take a nice big breath and then slowly exhale." She could tell he was uncomfortable like that; he kept trying to close his legs. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he exhaled Margaret moved her hand between his legs and gently cupped his testicles.

"Ahh!" He tensed up.

"Shhh." She was trying to soothe him more than quiet him. "I'm not going to do anything," she reassured him. His breathing began to slow again. "Just try and relax."

He swallowed hard and nodded his head. After few moments she began to slowly massage his testicles. "Ooooooh," he suddenly groaned loudly. It felt similar to getting a foot cramp worked out.

"I have to say honey, this is very strange. All these years and nothing like this has ever happened."

"Don't remind me."

Hawkeye leaned his head back against the couch. In a way it was nice to have her touch him again, but the reason why made him feel less like a man and more like a ... he didn't know what. "Are you feeling any different?"

"Some." He was to that point now where if felt like a massage. There wasn't any harm in telling her not to stop. She didn't seem to mind.

"It's like your testacies are knotted up. Can that happen?"

"I'm not a proctologist. How would I know?"

"You're a man. You should know what can happen to you."

He opened his eyes. "You didn't know everything that could happen to you the first time you were pregnant."

"That's different."

"It was your body." He closed his eyes again. It was starting to feel really good.

"I was pregnant. It was like something else had control of my body. It just isn't comparable."

"That doesn't mean that this doesn't hurt!"

"Shhh." The last thing they needed was for someone to wake up and walk downstairs to see Hawkeye with his shorts pulled down and Margaret massaging his balls.

"They wouldn't wake up now if you started lobbing artillery shells in the hallway." He spread his legs a little more.

"How is that feeling?" He seemed to be a little more relaxed.

"Better," he sighed. He could feel the tension being alleviated.

Margaret looked down at his penis again. Had it really been that long since they had last made love? It looked inviting, as long and thick as it was, and she was feeling very relaxed. "Are you having any pain?"

"Just a dull ache." She leaned in and kissed him, pushing her tongue into mouth and running it along his. "Mmm." He opened his eyes and licked his lips. She had taken him by surprise. "Did something happen at the spa?"

"I just realized how much I've been neglecting you."

"It's hard when you have to juggle work and four kids." However, there had been a few instances when they had had the opportunity, but she had preferred to read her book instead. She was a terrific mother and a devoted wife, but sometimes he just needed a good fuck. Too many times she had turned him down and he had been forced to masturbate.

"You're a wonderful husband." She kissed him again.

That made him smile. "Well, you're not such a bad wife."

"I could be better."

"You're terrific."

Slowly she moved to straddle him, kissing him while doing so. "I've been letting my wifely duties go lately."

"Life has been...busy." He was still smiling. 

She sat back on his lap and looked at him. His penis was starting to rise in between their bodies. "The kids don't run our lives."

He arched an eyebrow. He didn't blame them, they were just little kids, and he loved them more than life itself. However, when the four of them were mixed with work schedules, meetings with teachers, activities, their own schedules, it seemed as though something else was running their lives and he had no control. "We don't seem to run our lives anymore."

Her husband was so dramatic. He had one hectic day with the kids. Margaret knew who was in control and it certainly wasn't a 7 year old, a five year old, a 4 year old, or a 10 month old. 

"Well, they're all sleeping now." She kissed his lips.

"What happened at the spa?" She was actually being flirty. It was a little...unusual.

"Well, we were all talking about our husbands..." She kissed his jaw. "That kind of stuff."

"You mean like, bedroom stuff?"

"Not necessarily." She kissed him again, pushing her tongue into his mouth.

"What got you so aroused?" He asked when they parted.

She shrugged. Her day had been very relaxing and listening to some of her friends talk about their husbands, she realized what a terrific husband she had. He was so attentive to her and to their children. Everything he did he did for their family. He was just a wonderful man and she knew how lucky she was to have him.

"Did you do something else at that spa? Maybe some erotic massage?"

"You're the only man who can give me an erotic massage."

He moved his hands to her hips. "I'm up for that if you are."

She nodded. "I think you're the one that could use the massage. You've had a rough day." She kissed him. "My poor baby."

Hawkeye's hands moved around to the buttons of her blouse. She hadn't buttoned her blouse very carefully after she fed the baby. "Let's go upstairs."

She shook her head. "Let's stay here. This is our house."

"What about the boys?"

"You said they were dead to the world." She leaned down and kissed his neck. He smelled of old spice and after shave lotion.

He had said that. Then again, ever since he'd caught them playing spy in their bedroom he'd become extra cautious. He'd been hard and just about to take off his jeans when he heard whispering from under the bed. "Jamie hasn't been sleeping well lately..."

"He fell asleep within three minutes." She kissed his jaw. "He was exhausted. We won't have to worry about him tonight." She kissed her way up to playfully bite his ear. "A little light humping wouldn't wake anyone up."

Hawkeye was becoming more aroused. "What is it that you wanted to do?"

"I have several ideas." She kissed his lips. "It depends on how spontaneous you're feeling."

"Well, you've gotten a rise out of me."

"Mmm, I'm so wet." She licked his cheek. "I'm positively soaked."

Soaked? How could she be that wet in such a sort amount of time? She must have been thinking about it earlier. "Are you sure that wasn't an erotic spa you went to?"

"Only if you count the fact that I was thinking about your big cock during my massage."

"I didn't think you thought about it anymore."

"How could I not? Just that time isn't always available for us."

Their kids were in bed hours before they were. "We have time."

A few days ago he had come home from work and went to bed before the boys did. "Time and energy."

"Yeah, well that's different." He pushed her blouse off her shoulders. "We have it now."

She pulled back and looked at him seriously. "I know you're tired today. If you'd rather not..."

"Oh shut up."

She grinned and kissed him again. "Just making sure." Her hands moved through his hair. "How are you feeling now?"

"Like a normal aroused man."

"Good." She ground herself against him causing a loud moan escape from his lips. "Did you get the laundry done?"

"What?"

"I left a list for you..."

He sighed. "Margaret...all of that can wait until tomorrow." He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "Don't you think?"

She shrugged. He was still holding her face. "I told Ben we'd do something together as a family tomorrow."

"We can still do that."

"But if that list isn't finished.."

"The kids won't give a damn if we make them wait five more minutes so we can throw some laundry in."

She thought for a moment and then nodded. "You're absolutely right."

"Good," he smiled.

"Just one more thing."

"What!" This was the one time they were going to be together in...who knows how long. Now she was going to stop them.

"When are you going to fuck me?"

"I'm the one sitting here shortless." He was naked from the waist down.

She still had her pants on. "I was just so comfortable sitting there."

"I would be too if your dick was pressed against my clitoris."

She moved off his lap and began to take off her pants. "Oh wait," she stopped and looked at him.

He was reclined on the couch with his legs outstretched. His cock was sticking up in the air. "What?"

"We need a towel."

"I think there's a dirty one on the dryer."

"Let me get that quick," and she dashed out of the room.

Hawkeye put his hands behind his head. He was very excited. Finally, he was going to get some pussy. Maybe she'd even take pity on him and give him a blow job later on. As long as no one woke up, they could have a good time.

She walked back into the living room carrying two towels. "I thought it would be safer with an extra."

"Okay."

She finished taking off her pants and then moved to pull down her panties. "How are we going to do this?""Here." He took one from her and stood up to put it on the couch and then sat back down on it. "Okay," he grinned looking up at her. She was taking her bra off now. "Want to go for a ride, beautiful?""How much do you charge for that?""For you? Seeing as you are the mother of my children and we're married... I'll let you go for free." He winked.She tossed her bra to the floor and walked over to him, putting her knees on either side of his hips and sitting back against his lap. "You know, I can be a very hard customer to please.""Oh? I hadn't noticed." He cupped her breasts, letting his thumbs graze her nipples. "I must be a natural."

"Maybe you are, or maybe you're just a perfect fit for me." She sat there and let him play with her breasts for a little.

"Maybe." His mouth closed in on her nipple. It had been so long since he had done that. He just hopped she wasn't going to leak. That happened the first time they had sex after Ben was born and Hawkeye got a mouthful of breast milk.

But the baby had just eaten, so as long as he didn't suck too hard it should be okay. Ooh, it felt so much better when he was the one on her nipple than that little teething baby. "Ohh." She bit her lip. He was so good at that. "Honey..." He kissed her breasts and then her chest.

"You're already starting to leak." He could feel the moisture on his leg.

"I want to get on," she moaned.

"No." He put his hands on her hips. "Not yet." He wanted to hold out and let her arousal build.

"Yes." She tried to move, but he held her there. "Don't you want me?"

"You know I want you." His mouth moved back to her breasts. There was a day when they could spend hours with foreplay before they even thought of acting on it.

"Then let me get on." Her voice was pleading.

"Shhh." Hawkeye moved his lips up to hers. It was just about killing him not to be inside her, but it had been so long and there was no way of telling how long it would be until they got to do it again, so he wanted to make it last.

"Please, baby. I've been thinking about this all day. About you and me. About how we used to be."

"Then enjoy it."

"Don't you...ahhh." He was so good. "Remember when we used to ..." She paused to gather her thoughts. "Everyday..."

XXXXXXX

Hawkeye walked down the stairs sleepily. It was nine o'clock in the morning, a fairly decent hour to get up on a Saturday morning, but he and Margaret hadn't fallen asleep until well after three. He walked into the living room and found Ben and James watching television. Ben was on the couch wrapped in an afghan and James was lying on the floor with his blanket. Hawkeye stood in the doorway and watched with them for a moment as he scratched his chest.

It didn't take long for him to become interested in the show. He walked across their line of sight and sat down opposite Ben on the couch. Despite the fact that he was only seven, he was tall for his age. His feet almost reached the third cushion.

James got up and crawled up onto the couch and cuddled up next to his dad. Hawkeye put his arm him and rubbed his back and James laid his head on his chest. Now that no one was on the floor, Hawkeye could spread his legs without having to worry about anyone getting an eyeful of the inside of his shorts. 

He wondered where the others were. The house was fairly quiet, but then again when Saturday morning cartoons were on there wasn't much that was more important than the television. The Road Runner always seemed to know how to captivate his audience. It was strange that Matt wasn't around. 

Hawkeye spread his legs out comfortably, feeling the breeze move up his shorts. After the night they had he needed a little airing out. Maybe if he could swing it, he'd take a nap with James later that afternoon. Unless of course his wife had a better idea. He grinned at the thought.

"This is funny, huh, Daddy?" James was looking up at his father.

"What?" It took a moment before he realized what was said. "Oh, yes it is." James smiled and went back to staring at the television. He was at that age where he laughed or smiled as long as his dad did. He idolized his father. 

Hawkeye looked over at his eldest son and put his hand on his foot. "Where's your brother?"

Ben didn't look at his father. "Sleeping." Sleeping? Usually Matthew was one of the first ones up. That was a little strange. He hadn't looked in his room because he had assumed all three were downstairs. Margaret would check though on her way to get the baby. "Dad?"

Hawkeye turned his head. "Yeah?"

"Can we play catch today?" Hawkeye had been teaching him to throw the football. He was really eager to practice.

"Sure." Hawkeye squeezed his foot.

James looked up. "I want to fly kites!"

Hawkeye looked down at him. "Well, we can do both."

"I need you to help me fix mine," James said. Last time they had used it he flew his right into one of the maple trees out back. His father had to climb up there and get it for him, but when he did it was caught on a branch and he had no choice but to tear it.

"We'll take care of it, buddy." That was good enough for him. He placed his head back against his father and focused on the TV again. 

Margaret was sitting in the baby's room feeding her when Matthew walked in. He was still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Mommy?" His voice was a little whiney.

"Good morning." She smiled at him. His dark hair was sticking up all over the place. He looked so much like his father. "Did you just wake up?"

He nodded. "Can you hold me?"

"Give me a minute, okay?" He nodded again. "Come here and give me a good morning kiss." A little smile spread across his face and he walked over to her side. She wrapped her arm around him and kissed the side of his head. "I bet your brothers are downstairs watching cartoons. Why don't you go down with them?"

Matthew shook his head. 

"Daddy's down there too." Eve began to pull away from her mother's breast and try to sit up. She had had enough. Margaret pushed her top back down and then stood up. "Let's go downstairs." She adjusted the baby and picked up his hand to lead him out of the room. In the mornings he was known to just stand in the middle of a room and stare. It was like his brain was still asleep.

Margaret smiled when she saw the three of them on the couch watching cartoons together. The boys looked so much like Hawkeye with that dark hair. Hawkeye was only wearing a boxer shorts, he had neglected to put on a shirt. Ben was already starting to pick up on that; it would only be a matter of time until James did too. "Well good morning," Margaret said to her family from the door way.

"Hi mommy," James said in a quiet voice.

Hawkeye turned his head and looked at them. "There you are," he said when he saw Matthew. "Are you feeling okay buddy?" He didn't say anything and put a hand on Margaret's leg.

"Oh, I think he just had too much fun terrorizing daddy yesterday," Margaret said with a smile.

"Come sit with us," Hawkeye said to him. Matthew slowly walked over to them and tried to climb onto Hawkeye's lap. Hawkeye picked him up and sat him opposite of James. He looked back over at his wife. "How is she?"

"Happy as a clam." The baby looked very calm.

"She should, she slept eleven hours."

"And how did you sleep?" She asked knowingly.

"Oh, like a log." Hawkeye smiled widely. "I could use a sedative like that more often."

She grinned widely. "I just bet you could."

"You seemed to sleep pretty well yourself."

"Oh, I did." She winked at him. "I was thinking about making breakfast for everyone. Did any of you eat?"

"Shhh." It came from the other end of the couch. 

"Don't tell your mother to shhh." Margaret walked over to Ben and kissed his head. "Did you eat?" She asked again.

"No."

"Mommy, you're in the way." James was trying to look around her.

"Say excuse me," Hawkeye prompted.

"Excuse me," James looked up at her. "But I can't see the TV. Your legs are in the way."

She smiled. "Sorry."

Hawkeye reached out a hand to her and pulled her around to the end he was sitting on. He pulled her down for a kiss. "Do you want some help with breakfast?" 

She leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I could see your balls when I walked into the room. Close your legs, big boy."

"You're the only one walking around," he told her. "Me and my sons are just sitting here watching cartoons." Margaret smiled and kissed him again. "Would you like some help with breakfast?"

"I don't mind doing it. You can stay here."

"No, I'll help you." Making a meal for five people was a big task. He moved to stand up and Margaret stepped back. "Daddy's going to help Mommy make breakfast," he told James and Matt as he stood up. James groaned and sat back with a scowl on his face. Matt stuck his thumb in his mouth and laid his head on the arm of the couch. Hawkeye patted James's head. "I'll be back. I promise."

Together he and Margaret walked through the house and into the kitchen. As Margaret buckled the baby in her highchair Hawkeye got out the frying pan. When she turned around he grabbed her and pulled her close to him, kissing her intently. "Mmm...what was that for?"

"Because you're incredibly sexy." He kissed her again. "I had such a great time last night."

Margaret smiled. "So did I." It felt so good to have sex again. And not only had they done it once, but four times!

"How would you feel about a quickie after breakfast?"

"Oh, that would be extremely hard." They had the baby to think about, not to mention their three sons.

"She'll be ready for a nap by then, and the boys can entertain themselves for a few minutes." He leaned in and kissed her neck. "We could turn on the shower to make it seem like you're in the shower and then do it on the bathroom floor."

Boy was he in a mood. A quickie on the bathroom floor? "Hawkeye, I don't..." He leaned in and kissed her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his back and they stood kissing like that for a while.

"Ewwww!" They stopped kissing and looked down to see Ben standing in the doorway. "That's gross!"

"Well, you..." Hawkeye had been about to step away when he realized that he had risen a little bit. He was wearing boxer shorts. There was nothing to hide him. Instead, he kept himself hidden against Margaret.

She could feel him against her. This hadn't happened very often lately, but it wasn't the first time either. "It's not gross." She looked over at her son. 

"Uh huh." He nodded his head. He looked at his father like he was disappointed. "Kissing girls is yucky."

He looked at Ben oddly. "Are you sure you're my son?"

Sarcasm was not Ben's strong suit. "Yes. Mom says I look just like you."

Margaret was smiling from ear to ear. "What do you need, honey?"

"Can I have a bowl of cereal?"

"No, now go back with your brothers." Hawkeye was eager to get rid of him. They could only stay pressed against each other for so long.

"We're going to make breakfast. You'll have to wait."

"But.." That was when Hawkeye leaned back in and kissed his wife. "Ewwwww!" Ben ran off.

Hawkeye smiled. "I knew that would get him out of here."

"You'd better do something about this." She ground her hips into him. 

"Ahhh." He backed away a little. "That doesn't help."

"Stop thinking about S-E-X."

"It wasn't exactly the barnyard rooster that woke me up," he told her. "My pecker has a mind of its own."

"And after four times..." It was actually quite amazing. They hadn't gone four times in one night in years.

"It took four times to get it to work right."

"I thought it worked just fine."

"You started a fire, now you need to stoke it." Officially she had initiated it by massaging his balls and then proceeding to grind against him.

"You're going to get even more...ahem." She couldn't talk about his penis in front of the baby, and any other little ears that might have been listening.

"Okay," he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Let's talk about something non-arousing." He couldn't walk around the house like that and take the chance of one of the boys seeing.

"Um..." She tried to think of something. "Last night on our way home from the spa, we stopped off for dinner at that pizza place in town..."

"No," he cut her off. "That won't work. Think of something else."

"What?" What was so arousing about pizza? "Why not?"

"Because I've thought about doing you on the counter in there."

Margaret rolled her eyes. "Last night I shaved my legs."

A smile spread across his face. "You have such sexy legs."

"I'm thinking about redoing the bathroom in our bedroom."

"Good, I need something new to look at while I'm masturb..." Margaret slapped a hand over his mouth.

Hawkeye opened his eyes. "I got the number of a doctor who performs vasectomies." His eyes widened. "With a big, long, fat needle..."

He moved her hand. "I wanted to lose it, not become impotent."

"Oh, you're fine," she told him. "You'll be ready to play by the next game, I guarantee it."

"Now you have to kiss it and make it better."

Suddenly a high, little, voice interrupted. "What does Mommy have to kiss?" They both looked down to see James standing beside them. "Does Daddy have an owie?"

Margaret looked wide eyed at their sons. Matthew was standing right there too. Hawkeye nearly fell over from laughing. 

"Where is it? Can I see it?" James was all for seeing cuts and bruises. "I can fix it."

Margaret went to the refrigerator and pulled out some eggs and bacon. She didn't know what to say. Once he composed himself he was able to answer. "Actually, Mommy took care of it."

"Was there blood?" He was eager to hear about any injury. Just recently he had learned what a surgeon did and wanted to be like his father. At first he didn't know the difference between the doctor he went to and the kind of doctor his father was.

Hawkeye glanced at his wife. She was trying to look busy and not smile. "There was some blood, but its all gone now."

"Mommy kissed it and made it all better?" Matt looked at him. That was how she fixed him when he fell and it always worked.

Margaret didn't know what to expect next. Hawkeye could be pretty creative at times. She turned to see how he would handle that. He picked Matt up and said, "Actually, buddy, it hasn't been kissed long since before you were born."

Her eyes went wide once again. One day those kids were going to catch on and she would be horrified. Matt shook his head at her. "That ain't nice." His voice was full of disappointment.

Hawkeye gave an exaggerated sigh. "I know. But she..."

"Okay, enough of that." She took Matt and placed him on the floor. "You boys go back and watch cartoons."

"But we came to find something to eat." James looked up at her. "Can't we have a snack?"

"No you can't. We're making breakfast right now." She ushered the two boys out of the kitchen.

Matt had just remembered something and turned to face her. "You didn't hold me yet." She stopped and looked at him for a moment. What was she supposed to say to that? "Will you watch cartoons with me?" Those blue eyes were hard to resist.

Hawkeye heard him. Of all the boys Matt knew just how to get to his mother. All four of the kids had missed her terribly the day before. "For a few minutes, but then I have to help Daddy with making breakfast."

"Why?"

She picked Matt up and smiled at Hawkeye. "You know how he likes to burn the bacon. We don't want to eat burnt bacon."

"No," he smiled shaking his head. "Maybe you should stay and help him."

"How about we cuddle after breakfast," she suggested.

Matt thought about it for a moment. "Okay."

Margaret kissed his cheek and set him down. "We'll call you when breakfast is ready."

"Okay." Quickly he hurried out of the room to catch the rest of the cartoons.

Once he was out of range Margaret turned and glared at her husband. "Are you trying to kill me?"

He crossed his muscular arms. "They didn't have any idea what I was talking about."

"What if they had caught on?" She asked.

"Margaret, they don't even know such a thing exists."

"Well, they're certainly going to find out if we aren't careful," she growled.

He rolled his eyes. "They have no idea what sex is."

"They will when someone sees you with an erection." She moved to get the eggs out of the refrigerator. "You're going to have to explain that one."

"Margaret," he leaned against the counter. "That's not going to happen."

"There's practically no privacy in this house," she told him. Suddenly she stopped and looked at him. "Remember the time Ben came into the bathroom while you were peeing?"

It hadn't been as big of deal to him than it had been to her. Then again, Margaret had been in the shower at the time. "He just saw my penis," he said. "He's a boy, he knew what it was."

"But don't you remember the questions we got about it's size?" Hawkeye was huge compared to a seven year old.

"We had a long talk about it." She didn't understand that his relationship with the boys was different than hers was. "And they all know not to enter without knocking."

"That doesn't change the fact that you need to be careful."

"You know..." A smile spread across his face. "It has been an awfully long time since you've kissed it."

She rolled her eyes. "You are not funny. The things you say to those boys." She pulled out a bowl and started to crack the eggs. "You know, one day they're going to know and they'll remember things like they just heard. They're going to think their parents are horny."

"They wouldn't be wrong."

"Oh yes they would. They wouldn't be wrong about you, but I'm another story."

Hawkeye wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. "It takes two."

"I thought you were going to help me." She pulled away. "The last thing they need to see is your erection poking into their mother."

"I'm not hard," he said into her ear. "It was just a kiss."

"Well, you had better cool it and help me," she told him.

"Okay, okay." He walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door. "But I'd like to discuss the kissing later." He pulled out the bacon.

"There's not much to discuss."

"I'd like to reciprocate," he told her.

"You were already pushing line with the quickie."

"There was no quickie. And I'm beginning to doubt there will be."

She sighed. "All three of them came in here within five minutes. I don't want anything that won't last five minutes."

"So you're saying no?" His voice dropped.

"I didn't say that."

He grinned slightly. All it would take was a little more encouragement and she was putty in his hands. Just then Eve let out a cry. "That's for you I think."

"I can't take her while I'm cooking bacon. The grease will burn her. Anyway, how do you know it's for me?" Eve was just as much of a daddy's girl as she had ever seen. 

He shrugged. "She missed you yesterday." He walked over to her and gave the baby a cracker to chew on. "Or maybe she's just hungry." She seemed to be satisfied with that. 

"Honey, will you start the toast?"

"For a kiss." He was standing right behind her again.

She turned around, pulled his head in with both hands, and kissed him deeply. "Now will you start the toast?"

"Uh..." He was a little dazed. "Sure." She turned around and resumed tending to the bacon. Hawkeye walked over to the bread box and took out the loaf of bread. "Is wheat okay?"

"Wheat is fine."

"Oh, good." He moved toward the toaster and put two pieces in. "Maybe later," he leaned against the counter. "You could kiss my...ahem...with that much enthusiasm."

Margaret wasn't even going to reply to that remark. She flipped the pieces of bacon over in the pan. "Jamie will want orange juice and the other two will want milk."

He grabbed some glasses and spread them out on the counter to pour. "What do you want?"

"I'll just have my coffee."

As he moved passed her to return the milk and orange juice he rubbed against her. Once they were put away he moved behind her again and gently slapped her behind. "You're awfully sexy standing there like that."

She looked over her shoulder and gave him an odd look. "I'm wearing your t-shirt and a pair of pajama shorts."

"I think you look great."

She turned back and moved some bacon onto a plate and put more in the pan. "Because you want something."

That wasn't fair. "Now that's not true, Margaret." He took the fork out of her hand and placed it on the counter. Then he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, but she didn't kiss back. "I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world." She just stared at him. "You don't believe me?"

"I do," she smiled. "I like to hear you say it."

"In that case," he grinned. "You're beautiful." He kissed her again.

"Mmm...that might get you somewhere," she told him.

"Really?" He really thought he didn't have a chance of getting lucky.

"But not in here." She pushed him back. "I don't want the boys to see something."

Hawkeye didn't want the boys to see anything either. He wanted to keep them as innocent as possible for as long as possible. There was no way he was going to let his boys behave the way he did as a teenager. "Let's not make anything requiring syrup," Hawkeye said. "I don't feel like chasing them around the house trying to clean it off them."

"I think bacon, eggs, and toast is enough." She flipped the bacon over.

"So do I. We shouldn't have to work so hard on a Saturday."

"I think we're just about ready to eat," she said as she scooped the bacon onto the plate.

"I'll go get them."

It was nice to eat breakfast together as a family. The boys fought over the bacon and the baby tossed part of her egg on the floor, but it was pleasant all the same. Both Margaret and Hawkeye loved their kids more than life it self, and despite all the arguing and the mess, it was nice to be together.

After breakfast Margaret took the boys upstairs to get cleaned up and dressed while Hawkeye did the dishes. The baby was still sitting her chair playing with her spoon and plate. Hawkeye looked over at her and smiled, she was covered in bits of egg. When he was done washing he was going to take her upstairs and give her a bath.

Ben was going to his friend Jack's house for the afternoon and James was going to a party in the next town with his friend Jimmy. That meant that only Matt and Eve were going to be home for the day. Hawkeye felt that with a little persuasion he could convince Margaret into having sex.

Hawkeye and Matt walked back into the house a little before one. They had dropped the other boys off already and Matt was sulking because he didn't have anywhere to go. If Hawkeye thought there was a place he could spend the afternoon, he would have gladly brought him over there. Not because he wanted to get rid of him, but because it would be easier to be with his wife without a clingy four year old. 

"Margaret, we're back."

"You didn't eat, did you?" She called from the kitchen.

"No." Hopefully she had something for them. Hawkeye had a funny feeling that if Matt was able to fill his stomach and get some energy out he would go down for a nap. When they walked into the kitchen she was sitting in front of Eve trying to get her to eat her baby food. 

"Hi guys," she smiled. "There are some sandwiches waiting for you."

"Mommy," Matt stomped over to her. "How come I don't get to go to Grandpa's?"

She wasn't going to explain to him that his grandfather was away on a weekend getaway with a woman. A woman that she didn't like. "Don't you want to stay home with us?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Why not? We're going to have fun."

He huffed. "Not without my brothers!"

"We can go out and do something together," Margaret suggested.

"No." He stomped his foot.

"Matthew Alvin Pierce, don't you stomp your feet!" He crossed his arms and scowled.

"Come on buddy." Hawkeye put his hands on his shoulders. "Let's eat lunch." He helped him take off his coat and then lifted him up and set him up at the table.

"He's T-I-R-E-D," Margaret said as Hawkeye got out the milk.

"I know," he nodded. He set a glass down in front of Matt. "Here you go bud."

"Thank you," he said softly. Hawkeye patted his head. He knew what it felt like to be lonely and left out.

"Did you eat?" He asked Margaret.

"Not yet. Someone is giving me a hard time today with her food."

Hawkeye took a bite of his sandwich. "Let me try. She always eats for her daddy."

"Be my guest." Margaret stood up and took a seat next to Matt with her sandwich. "What time do we have to pick up the boys?"

"Not for hours. They said they'd call."

She nodded. She watched him feed Eve for a minute. The baby ate every spoonful he gave her and didn't put up a fight with him. "How do you do that?"

Hawkeye smiled. "She loves me."

She shook her head. "Matt, you're not eating very well."

He had only taken a few bites out of his sandwich. Normally he was a very good eater. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"Well you need to eat, honey." He shook his head no. Matt could be very stubborn at times. "Eat your lunch."

"Maybe Mom will cuddle with you after," Hawkeye suggested. "What do you think of that?"

"I like it," he said quietly.

But he only took two more small bites. Margaret looked up at Hawkeye with a concerned look on her face. "Honey, are you feeling okay?" She asked the little boy.

"Yeah," he answered very softly.

He was probably just tired. "Why don't we go upstairs and lie down?"

"Okay." He said it with very little enthusiasm. He slid off his chair and Margaret got up. She picked him up.

"Can you finish feeding her?" She asked her husband.

"We'll be just fine," he told her. "You two go on."

"Okay, we're going to be in his room." It would be easier that way when he fell asleep.

"Bye buddy," Hawkeye said to him.

His head was on Margaret's shoulder. "Bye."

Margaret rubbed his back as she carried him up the stairs and into his bedroom. When they got to his room she laid him down and climbed in next to him. After attaching himself to her he stuck his thumb in his mouth and closed his eyes.

After feeding the baby he wiped her down again. She had been falling asleep in the highchair as she ate. All he had to do was pick her up and put her on his shoulder and she was sound asleep before he made it to the top of the stairs. He looked in Matt's room and saw the two of them lying down. The he placed the baby in her crib and went back to see if Margaret had fallen asleep too. It wouldn't be the first time she fell asleep while lying down with the kids.

"Margaret?" He touched her hip.

"Shh." She slid out of the little bed and then grabbed her husband's hand and pulled him into the hallway. "Do you think he's getting sick again?"

"No, he's just tired." After breakfast they had spend two hours outside just playing. Matt tired himself out. "Do you hear that?" He asked her.

"What?" She paused to listen for it.

"Silence," he smiled.

Margaret smiled too. She pulled on his hand. "Come on..."

"Where are we going?"

She was obviously pulling him toward the bedroom. "Where do you think?"

"Did you want to take a nap to?"

"Weren't you the one who wanted to fool around this afternoon?"

Suddenly he remembered. "Ooooh."

Margaret closed the door behind them and locked it. She walked over to the bed and sat down. "So, how about it big boy?" She spread her legs to entice him.

"Oh...well..." He scratched his head.

She laid back with her legs still spread. "Well?"

"Uh..."

She sat up. "Don't you want to?" He should have been on top of her already.

"Of course I do."

"Then what's the problem?" She demanded.

"Well...um..."

"Hawkeye!"

"It's just that last night it was invigorating doing it on the couch. I was kinda hoping we could do it some place other than the bed."

"Where? It's broad daylight?"

"We don't have any neighbors near by." The closest was two miles away.

She didn't know about that. It was a little too risky in the middle of the afternoon. Sure they had half the number of kids they usually had, but it was just odd. "What room did you have in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know..."

"Yes you do." She stood up. "Lead the way."

He grinned. "You mean it? And you'll be just as eager as you were a moment ago on the bed?"

"Yep."

Feeling brave he asked, "Will you kiss me?"

"What kind of a question is th...Hawkeye!" She suddenly got what he was implying.

"You always say you're proud of how big I am...that I fill you so wonderfully."

"Vaginally," she corrected him. 

"A couple kisses isn't deep throating."

She knew him better than that. "You don't want kissing, you want sucking."

"It's not like I wouldn't suck on you," he told her.

"Those kids aren't going to sleep forever..."

"Okay okay okay." He pulled her up. "Come with me."

He had no idea where he was going. He didn't expect for her to give into him and let him chose something like that. They walked down the hall on the second floor and that was when she knew he didn't know where he was going. "We're not going to the boys' rooms.""No! Of course not. That's just sick."

"Well where do you think you're going?" There wasn't anything upstairs except the bedrooms and the balcony, but that was off their bedroom and it was a little too chilly outside for that.

"Downstairs." They turned around and he pulled her down the stairs. When he got to the bottom he grinned. "I've got it.""Where?"

He led her into the kitchen. "The breakfast table."

She let out a sigh. "Our children eat at that table."

"They also jump on our bed and pee in the bathtub."

"Hawkeye...I think the table is going too far." She'd feel so guilty at dinner. "Besides, you'd break it."

"Me?"

"You're the one who does all of the thrusting." He was about to open his mouth. "And I did all the work last night."

"I wouldn't say all the work."

"Pick a different place. And do it before the kids wake up."

"They'll be out for a few hours."

"I'd like to get an orgasm out of this," she reminded him.

"Ooh, I love it when you talk dirty. Keep going." They started walking around the house, looking for a place. "How about the den?" He suggested.

"That carpet isn't very soft."

"Then how about in your closet?"

"Try again."

"The bar in the basement."

She shook her head. "We won't be able to hear the children if they wake up."

This wasn't as easy as he had thought. They were trying to be spontaneous and it just wasn't working. "Okay, right here."

"In the foyer? On the cold floors?"

"You're way too picky. You just pick a place."


	3. Chapter 3

Margaret rounded the corner and paused a moment to search for her family. Ben would be the easiest to find. She brought her hand up to her face to block the sun from her eyes and scanned the little baseball field. He was standing on third base ready for action. The time he spent tossing the ball around with his father had translated into a love of baseball for him.

She easily spotted the other two boys. They were pressed tight against the fence watching their big brother. James and Matthew had been very disappointed to learn they were too young to join him on the team, but the easily accepted it as most boys do. They were satisfied to go to the field and watch or play with other children when they lost interest in the game.

Now she had to find Hawkeye, but she couldn't spot him from where she stood. As she walked closer he came into view. He had Eve on is lap and they were sitting on the bottom of the bleachers watching the game.

Before she went to them she walked to the two boys. Placing a hand on each other their backs she crouched down and kissed then on the cheek. "Hi guys."

"Hi Mommy," James smiled. "Ben's team is winning again."

"Good. Are you boys having fun?"

"Yeah." They were both focused on the game.

She stood up. "I'll be with Daddy if you need anything."

"Okay."

Hawkeye smiled when he saw her walking over to him. She was in her uniform; she must not have gone home to change. Eve saw her and started kicking her feet wildly. He stood up and kissed her. "You made it." He was very pleased.

"I said I would."

She did tell him that, but he had been very skeptical. More than a few times her Saturday morning shifts had turned into an all day event. "I'm glad you're here." 

She kissed him again. "Mmm, me too." Margaret took her daughter into her arms and gave her a kiss. "You look so cute today." Hawkeye had her in a little white and blue dress and even had the blonde hair on the top of her head pinned back out of her face.

"We do look cute, don't we?" Hawkeye kissed her again and then they sat down. "Ben didn't see you yet. He was worried you wouldn't make it."

"He's probably playing better because of it." Often times he got nervous with her watching. He always wanted to make her proud, but was too afraid that he couldn't.

"He loves it when you watch him play."

"I know he does, but I'm his mom. Everyone always gets a little anxious when their mom is watching."

"He was asking me the whole ride here if you were going to make it," Hawkeye told her. "He'll be ecstatic when he sees you."

The batter hit the ball and all the players started running. Ben started toward home plate, running as hard as he could. Both parents started shouting and erupted into cheers as he crossed the plate. He turned to look at his dad's reaction, but was elated when he saw his mother sitting there. A bright smile spread across his face before he ran back to join his other team mates. The coach slapped him on the back and gave him a high-five.

"That's my baby," Margaret smiled at her husband.

He nodded with a smile. "Don't let his team mates hear you call him that."

"Oh, I would never." She sat back down and adjusted the baby on her lap. "He'd be so mad at me." A couple of months ago she had made the mistake of kissing him in front of his friends at the park. He had informed her that he wasn't a baby anymore and it wasn't cool for his mom to kiss him where other people could see. Later that night when she was saying goodnight to him she asked him if it was okay if she gave him a kiss and he told her the rules. She could kiss him all she wanted as long as his friends weren't around.

"How was your day?" He nudged her. She had her eyes locked on Ben.

"Oh, you know, nothing too exciting. I wanted to be here at his game more than anything."

He nodded. "I know you did." The night before she had been upset that she wasn't going to be there from the beginning. "You're here now. That's what matters."

"It's almost over."

"He has another one on Friday, you'll have another chance."

Margaret thought for a minute. "I could probably get off a little early on Friday."

"And then we could go out for pizza afterward."

She smiled at him. "That sounds like a good idea." Margaret leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Tell me about your day."

Hawkeye had taken two weeks of leave. Things at the hospital had been a little overwhelming and he felt that he needed some time at home. Besides, with both parents working and with all the kids having been sick, the family had started to feel stressed. With Hawkeye being a little more flexible, the tension had been let up and things were starting to move smoother.

"Well, I took the boys to school and then Eve and I took a nap." Margaret smiled, that wasn't surprising. "We did a little cleaning, watched some television, and stopped off to check on my Dad's office before picking up the boys."

"Sounds like you had a nice day."

Hawkeye smiled. "It was."

"Are you thinking about staying home permanently?"

"Not once did that cross my mind." She laughed. "Although it has been nice to spend so much time with them." He put his arm around her and kissed the side of her head. "I'd like to spend a little more time with their mother. Alone."

"I might be able to arrange that." She laid her head against his shoulder. "Did you have plans after this game?"

"What kind of plans would I have?"

"Did you tell the boys you'd do anything with them?"

He shook his head. "Well I mentioned something about dinner."

By the tone of his voice she could tell it wasn't something he thought she would be pleased with. "What did you mention about dinner?"

"That we'd eat it," he told her. Margaret smiled. He was incorrigible. Then seriously he said, "I told them that it was up to you."

"Oh great." 

"Well, you're the picky eater in the family."

"They're going to want to go out."

"Well, what do you feel like eating?" He asked.

"I don't know."

"I'll make something simple," he told her. "It won't be hard to throw something together."

She shook her head. "They'll be disappointed."

"Three young boys... they don't give a damn what they eat."

"No, they will. I'll figure it out." 

After more than twenty minutes of watching the game, it ended and Ben's team won. Hawkeye and Margaret gathered the two younger boys and they all waited for Ben. Right away he had an idea of what he wanted to eat. Since neither Hawkeye nor Margaret had any real ideas, they went where Ben wanted to go. 

By the time they arrived home it was close to bed time and each of the boys were sent in to bathe and get ready for bed. Eve had quite the day with her father and she was out in no time. Most week nights were busy around the Pierce household, but now that he was on leave he started to realize he felt a little sex deprived. 

When Margaret was finished tucking the boys in she went into her bedroom expecting her husband to be in bed. She was mildly surprised to find that he wasn't. Margaret changed out of her uniform and then walked downstairs. She could see the glow from the TV from the hallway. When she walked into the living room she stopped and smiled. Hawkeye was lying on the couch with Eve sleeping on his chest. They both looked so comfortable and content.

She walked over and sat down on the edge beside him. She put her hand on the baby's back. "She fell asleep fast."

"She had a busy day," he said in a soft voice.

"Didn't you say she took a nap today?" He nodded his head. "She's her father's daughter."

"But she's as beautiful as her mother." Margaret smiled down at him.

He moved to sit up and she carefully picked up the sleeping baby. "We're so lucky," she said. "All of our children are beautiful and healthy."

"They make up for that in being stubborn," he grinned.

Together they stood up and walked upstairs and tucked the baby in. Afterwards Margaret turned to walk to their bedroom, but Hawkeye grabbed her hand and directed her back downstairs. "Is something wrong?" She asked him as they walked down the stairs.

He shook his head. "No." He looked over at her. "I just thought it would be easier to talk downstairs." That way they didn't have to worry about waking anyone up or being overheard.

He led her to sit down on the couch and then sat down beside her. "What's the matter?" She was a little worried.

He picked up her hands. "Nothing," he reassured her. "I'm just a little concerned."

"Concerned about what?"

"I've heard that healthy couples ought to be having sex at least three times a week..."

"Hawkeye," she cut him off. "Are you worried that we're not having enough sex."

"No, it's not that exactly. I know the reasons why having sex is a challenge, but I think we need to work harder at it. I mean, when the MacIntyers stopped having sex, their marriage fell apart..."

"Their marriage fell apart because he cheated on her."

"They all interchange, having sex with your wife and cheating." He saw the look on her face. "You know I would never cheat on you," he said quickly. "It's just that sex is more than just the actions, it's the intimacy and the closeness." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "The last time I talked to BJ he told me about how things had been slow between him and Peg. They were only having sex about once a week, and now look at all the problems they're having."

It had been a little while since she heard from Peg, but the last time she did their marriage wasn't as strong as it once was. "Do you think we're having problems?" Her voice was soft.

He shook his head. "Not like they are. I just don't want us to get that way."

"We won't."

"You don't know that. I'd like to think we'll always be happy, but I don't want to take the chance." For as long as they were together she was always uncomfortable taking about their relationship and ways to improve it. She was always so insecure about it; even after eight years of marriage and four children. 

She swallowed. "Our lives aren't like they were when we were first married. I don't know what you want me to do, Ben. I try my best to make..."

"Margaret, Margaret, hold on a minute. I'm not blaming anything on you." He leaned in and kissed her. "Peg and BJ used to be one of the happiest couples I have ever seen, but in the past couple of years we've seen their marriage start to unravel."

"And you think we're on our way to the same." 

"No, I don't," he told her sternly. "I want to prevent that from happening."

She nodded. "What do we have to do?"

"I think we need to work harder at making time to make love."

He didn't know if she was upset or if she really understood what he was saying. "Okay," she told him with a nod. "We can do that."

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

Margaret had always been a little scared about losing him, but she understood what he was saying. "Yes." Hawkeye leaned in and kissed her.

"You know, Eve is probably old enough now for us to leave her for the night. We could leave the kids with our parents one night and go somewhere alone."

"Like leave town?" They hadn't done that for a long time, and last time they did Eve was conceived. 

"Yeah, just like that. Or if you'd feel better we could stay home."

Every once in a while she had entertained the idea of being alone with him without the children around to take care of. Each time it popped into her head she dismissed it coming up with one reason or another. "I'd like to go away with you."

"Would you really?" His voice was hopeful. 

She nodded. "It would be good for us." Margaret leaned into him and he wrapped his arm around her, hugging her tight. "We don't want to lose each other."

"That's right."

"I had a dream a couple of weeks ago about us."

"Us?" Sometimes that meant the six of them. In fact, lately "us" always meant the six of them.

"You and me." She rubbed his stomach lightly. 

"Really?" That was a little surprising. "No kids?"

"Just the two of us," she told him.

"What kind of dream?" He asked.

"A sex dream."

"Oooh," he smiled. "Tell me about it."

She shied away. "I can't do that."

"Well, why not?"

"It's too embarrassing..."

"I'm your husband," he told her. "You've been having sex with me for almost ten years. You can tell me."

"No I can't."

"I've told you about my sex dreams before."

"That's completely different."

He shook his head. "It is not." Just knowing she would dream about him sexually was enough to boost his ego. Anymore than that she was willing to say was icing on the cake.

"Yes it is. You don't mind talking about that sort of thing." He had always been more open about his sexuality than she had, at least when it came to talking about it.

"Well, at least you were dreaming about me and not some other man. Like that doctor you work with. What's his name?" He knew the man's name, he just didn't like him. 

Margaret sighed. "You can't laugh, okay?"

"Scouts honor."

"Well..."

"Yeah?"

"Here, let me whisper it in your ear." She leaned in and began whispering it to him.

"Oooh...ooooh...really...ooo..."

Margaret pulled back and looked at him. "Well, what do you think?"

He had a big smile on his face. "I must have been digging you in the back that night."

Margaret laughed. "I have no idea where it came from."

"I like the way you think," he told her.

"Unfortunately we'll never be able to do that..."

"Why?"

"Because of the kids..."

"Maybe when we go away," he winked at her.

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Well I do." He leaned in and kissed her. "It'll be like when we were first married. What do you think?"

"Do you remember the last time you said that to me?"

He shook his head. "Why would you remember something like that?"

"Well." She moved so she was sitting on his lap. "Do you remember that time we flew down to Florida for a few days." He nodded. "Six weeks later I told you I was pregnant with Eve."

"Ah." he nodded in understanding. "I don't plan on getting you pregnant this time."

"We didn't exactly plan on it last time either." They didn't try to stop it from happening either.

"Are you trying to tell me you want to have another baby?" He wasn't sure how he felt about that. He loved their children, but adding another... He didn't see his wife much as it was.

"Heavens no! We have our little girl now."

Hawkeye breathed a sigh of relief and sat back. "Good."

Margaret smiled and moved her hand to his stomach. "Actually...we're going to need to talk about that one day..."

"Having more kids?"

"No, not having more kids." She was hoping he'd catch on.

"But you ju...oooh...no no no." He just got it.

"I said we could talk about it later."

He cupped his groin with his hand. "I wish we would."

"Alright, no more about that tonight." She kissed his cheek.

"Thank you."

"One day soon."

"Shh." He placed his hands on her hips and kissed her again. "I can think of other things to talk about."

"About our relationship?"

He shrugged. "Maybe we need a little less talk and a lot more action."

She giggled. "Well, neither of us work tomorrow. We can talk then."

"With Eve hanging off you?"

"She doesn't hang off me."

Hawkeye begged to differ, but he didn't say anything else. "We can stay up late tonight and do..." He smiled. "Stuff."

"Stuff? Like laundry?"

"Like the stuff dreams are made of." 

She sighed. "Oh brother."

"I thought you wanted to work on us."

"I do."

"Then we actually have to "work" on it."

"I know."

"Maybe we should work on being more adventurous."

"What? We already did it in here."

"There are...other places."

"We tried that a week ago and we ended up napping on our bed." After going through the house they had decided to go back to the bedroom, but instead of having sex they ended up falling asleep and didn't wake up until Matt came in and jumped on the bed. It wasn't one of their shining moments as a couple. 

"Maybe we tried too hard." It seemed to better when it was done in the spur of the moment like that night she arrived home from a day with her friends at a spa.

"But you just said we're supposed to talk about this part of our marriage." 

Hawkeye thought for a moment. There really wasn't anything wrong with their own bedroom, but it wasn't adventurous anymore. The most adventurous thing that happened around their house was when James and Matt decided to flush a frog down the toilet and ended up backing up the entire house. "Maybe now isn't the time."

"Then when?" She leaned in and kissed his ear. "When we're sitting at the breakfast table with all four children? I think you're right. This is something we have over looked for a while now. I may be their mother, but I'm still your wife, and you know what else?"

"What?"

"Well," she paused for a moment before she said anything else. "I don't want you to think I don't love our children."

"That's absurd." Hawkeye had never seen a more devoted and loving mother. From the moment Ben came into the world she was a natural. 

"I love them more than anything and I wouldn't trade them for the world."

"I know that, baby."

She laid her head against his shoulder. "Sometimes I get sick of being just their mother." She sighed deeply when she heard herself. "That sounds just terrible. I don't mean it like it sounded."

"I know how you meant it." He kissed her forehead. "And it doesn't sound bad."

"Are you sure?" He nodded. "You and I haven't had a moment to ourselves for a long time."

"Only when we're sleeping."

"Hardly even then." Occasionally someone woke up and wanted to sleep in their bed or needed a glass of water.

"They're getting better."

"We need to really be alone," she emphasized _need._

"That's why I suggested we go away for an evening or two. I'd enjoy walking around naked again." He hadn't been able to do that since Ben was a newborn.

"And I'd enjoy watching you," she purred into his ear.

"Do you think we could get your mother and your father to watch them?"

She looked at him questionably. "Does that mean you feel the same way about your father as I do?"

He hated to think that he didn't want his kids with his father. The reason was understandable though. "You know how things are right now. You remember how they behaved the last time we were around them." They had been worse than newlyweds and over zealous eighteen year olds. "We've never carried on like that in front of other people. She practically had her hand on his crotch." Not to mention that instead of paying attention to his son, Daniel had been occupied with kissing and giggling with that woman. They had hardly noticed they were in the room.

"I know," she said softly. Margaret did not like that woman. She felt ashamed of having witnessed such a spectacle, especially by her father-in-law.

"He's made it clear what's important to him," Hawkeye said. "Not seeing his grandchildren shouldn't bother him." He looked down. It hurt him to be so distant from his father. "I hate that woman."

Margaret wrapped her arms around him. "I know baby."

"You know, I can deal with it, but those kids..." He was very emotional about this. "They love him so much...and it's almost like he could care less."

"You know that's not true." Though she felt like that a lot of the time too.

"I hate lying to my kids!" He told her in a louder voice. "I told myself before Ben was born that I would always, no matter what, try under the best circumstances to be honest with them. I cannot stand lying to them to cover up for him. That time when Jamie started crying...it nearly broke me in two."

Margaret remembered it all too well. Jamie had been all set to stay with his grandfather for a weekend. Dan told him he was old enough now, but when the day came, he backed out of it. It was how Jamie found out that broke his heart. Although, his parents were hurt more than he was. Children were very forgiving, but for the parents of those children it isn't so easy. "Maybe it's time you talked to him." She suggested.

"Jamie?" He looked at her. "We both talked to him, remember?"

"No. Your father."

Hawkeye shook his head. "Eve and I saw him today. He thinks that woman is the best thing that ever happened to him. He didn't even give his granddaughter a kiss. Just a pat on the head and it was like she wasn't even there."

"I don't think he meant it to be mean. Maybe he was busy."

Again he shook his head. "I'll talk to him when he's ready to listen. Right now ..." Hawkeye sighed.

Margaret kissed him on the cheek. "He'll come around."

"Let's not talk about him." If there was anything that was less arousing than talking about his parent, he couldn't think of it. "I'll make you a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"Well." He moved so they were both lying on their sides. When they were comfortable, he spoke again after kissing her. "If you call..." Kiss. "Your parents and..." He kissed her again. "Ask them if they are." Kiss. "Willing to watch the kids." 

She smiled when he kissed her again. "Mhmm." 

"I'll make the travel arrangements."

"This is going to take planning."

"I know."

"The hospital is preparing for an inspection from the Health Department. I can't go until after."

He nipped at her lightly. "Damn."

"You can wait a few weeks, can't you?"

He groaned. "I don't know. I feel so sex deprived already."

She kissed his lips again. "Well, no one says we can't have sex between now and then."

"More than twice?" She pinched his arm. "Oww."

"You're not that sex deprived. You get it at least two times a week."

"It's not as good when you have to beat the midnight water run." Whenever someone was thirsty they came into their bedroom and asked for a drink from the kitchen.

"We weren't rushed the other night." In fact, they'd done it several times, long and hard.

"Well..." He smiled. "That was the exception."

"You've got me all alone right now...what's stopping you?"

"That's a good question." He leaned in and kissed her again. They kissed open mouthed a couple times before he growled into her mouth. Slowly she moved onto her back as he moved over her.

"Oooh, tiger," she giggled.

"Margaret." Margaret turned around and looked at the young woman. "There's a call for you at the nurses' station."

"Okay. Did they say who it was?"

She shrugged, "Uh, I think it's your son's school."

Margaret didn't need to hear anymore. Quickly she pushed past her and hurried to the phone. She was almost breathless when she picked it up. "Hello. This is Margaret Pierce."

There was a deep, unrecognizable voice on the other end. "Mrs. Pierce this is Samuel Nielsen." That was the principal at the elementary school. "Benjamin is in a bit a trouble, I'm going to need you to come down here."

Margaret was perplexed. "His father is home this..."

"Actually, Mr. Pierce is already here."

Now she was really confused. "He is?"

"I'm afraid we've had a bit of a...conflict."

"Oh wonderful," she muttered to herself. "I'll be right there. Thank you." Margaret hung up the phone before asking what was going on. She figured if she didn't know then she wouldn't be able to get angry at Ben on the drive there. 

Margaret left the hospital as quickly as she could. She couldn't figure out what Ben could have done that would warrant both she and Hawkeye meeting with the principal. She knew it couldn't be good. They always set up appointments for good news, but bad news... that was different.

It took her more than twenty minutes to get to the school. When she finally arrived she pulled into the nearest parking space, which happened to be right next to her husband's car. Quickly she fixed her hair and makeup in the rear view mirror and then grabbed her purse and headed into the brick building. The principal's office was in the front of the building and she knew just where to go. Hawkeye and Ben were sitting out in the hall waiting for her.

When Hawkeye spotted his wife he stood up. "Stay here," he said to Ben. He walked toward her and kissed her check. "They wanted both of us here."

"What's it about?"

He shrugged. "We're waiting on you. Ben wouldn't tell me either. All he says is that it wasn't his fault he got in trouble."

"Mrs. Pierce." Suddenly Margaret was aware of another person in the office. "Please, have a seat."

Margaret sat down beside her son and Hawkeye sat down on the other side of him. "Mr. Nielsen, why have you called us down here?"

"I plan to attend to the issue momentarily," he told her. "We're just waiting for Mr. Johnson's parents." Margaret looked over at her husband with an alarmed look. She had recalled seeing a little boy sitting outside the office. Hawkeye looked down at his son. He was sitting with his head bowed, looking at his hands.

The four of them waited there silently for a few minutes until the secretary entered the room, followed by another couple and another little boy. "Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, please, have a seat."

"Can you explain what is going on?" The other father asked.

The principal stood up. "As you are well aware, we do not tolerate fighting at this school."

"Fighting!" Both mothers shrieked.

"Alexander claims that Benjamin hit him, which is..." He looked over at the other boy. "Evident." He had a nice bruise on his face that we beginning to show. "However, Benjamin stated that he was provoked by incessant shoving and deliberate poking...with a pencil." Margaret's eyes widened even more. "Which could be classified as stabbing."

"Stabbing!" The other man stood up. "You!" He grabbed his son by the arm. "Did you poke him with a pencil?" He pointed to Ben.

"No!"

"Did you hear that?" He said to the principal. "He didn't do it."

"Ben has some marks on him," the principal pointed out. "They came from somewhere."

"Are you trying to tell me that my son is lying to me?"

Ben looked up at his parents. He knew that lying was one of the worst crimes he could commit. "Dad, he was..."

"Shh!" Margaret told him. "Mr. Nielsen, did anyone else see this happen?"

"No one saw what happened between them. Their teacher saw Ben hit the other child."

Hawkeye wanted to see the marks on Ben. "Where are those marks?"

"Whoa, wait a minute," Mr. Johnson said. "My boy said he didn't do it. Isn't that right?" He looked down at his son.

"Ben was picking on me." The little boy saw his father's eyes go dark. 

"Is this correct, Benjamin?" The principal asked. 

Ben looked from his father to his mother and then back to the man who was waiting for his answer. "Yes sir."

After some more time trying to discover what actually happened they were all dismissed and the school handed up a punishment of suspension to the boys. Hawkeye thought they were getting off too easy for using violence, but he knew Ben's punishment wasn't over yet. 

On the way to the parking lot Ben walked in between his parents, his head looking down at his feet the entire time. He had never been so scared in his life. He could hear his mother whispering, but he was so nervous he couldn't understand what she was saying. 

When they got to the car, Hawkeye put his hand on Ben's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, Dad. I didn't get too hurt."

Margaret opened the door to her car. "Get in, Benjamin."

He gasped slightly. "I...I thought you had to work."

"I'm through for the day. You're riding with me."

"Margaret..." Hawkeye had grimaced when he heard her tone of voice. He knew what was going to happen if Ben rode with her.

"Pierce," she snapped at him. "He's riding with me."

Her eyes were stone cold. She looked like she could have slapped him. "Okay," he said softly. He took two steps back.

"Get in," she told her son sternly. He got into the backseat and she slammed the door. She glared at her husband as she walked around the car. She opened her door and got in. Hawkeye looked at his son. He was looking back at him with big eyes. Margaret started the car and Hawkeye waved to his son. The next moment he was standing alone in the parking lot.

Hawkeye didn't follow her home right away. He knew that when he did she was going to take her aggression out on him. Instead he went down to the docks and spent some time working on his boat. 

One day he wanted to take Ben with him, but that wasn't going to happen any time soon. He just hoped his wife spent some time cooling off before she flew off the handle with their seven year old. Margaret could be hard on Ben from time to time. He was a good boy, but like all boys he wasn't perfect. She just didn't understand it as well as he did. 

While he was picking up at the dock he saw his father. He was standing on the bank and waved. Hawkeye waved back and groaned. A lot of good this was going to do. Now he'd have to listen to his father go on about how good it felt to have sex as much as he did at his age. That woman had changed him, and not for the better as far as Hawkeye was concerned. 

"Son," Daniel said when he got closer."Dad." Hawkeye nodded. "What are you doing down here?""I was out on a house call and I saw your car down here. Play hooky today?""No."Daniel got in step beside him as they walked to where their cars were parked. "Day off?""Yeah, something like that. The kids were sick and I took some time off." 

"Oooh." He smiled. "Sounds like fun."

Hawkeye had his back turned to him. He rolled his eyes. "Do you want something?"

"Can't a father just talk to his son?"

Hawkeye grimaced. "I suppose so."

"What are you doing out here so late?" Daniel asked him. Usually they were eating supper then.

"Just checking on things." He was in the process of fixing the engine and a couple other small problems. That's how he'd been able to buy such a big fishing boat for such a small price.

"Are things alright between you and Margaret?"

Hawkeye had to take a deep breath to keep from snapping. "They're fine," he said darkly.

"So I take it that things are good in the sack too."

He snapped his head. "That isn't any of your business."

"Ah, then it's bad."

"It's fine. Everything in my house is just perfect."

"I haven't seen you for a while. How are the kids?"

"Why don't you ask them yourselves? They can all talk."

Dan could see something wasn't right, but he didn't have the time to find out. He was supposed to meet Linda for dinner. "Tell them I'll be by to see them soon."

"Oh, I sure will." Hawkeye opened his car door. "Bye." He got in and slammed the door.

"Bye."

It was time to get home. Margaret should have had enough time to cool down and he knew she wouldn't dish out a punishment without him. As well as they worked together in the operating room, they parented even better. When he pulled into the driveway the two younger boys ran around from the back yard. As soon as he opened his door both boys were standing right there.

"Hi Daddy," they each said.

"Hi guys." He bent down and scooped each of them into an arm. "What are you doing?"

They shrugged. "Mommy told us to play outside."

"Oh yeah?" He kissed each of them on the cheek. "Is Mom mad?"

"Don't know," Matthew said.

"Not at us," Jamie said.

Hawkeye glanced to the house to see if Margaret was standing there within ear shot. She wasn't. "Did she say anything about me?"

"She said you were fixin' your boat."

He nodded and placed them back down. Margaret usually knew things like that. "Why don't you two come in and wash up for dinner."

"But Daddy, we aren't done."

"Done with what?"

"Come see." Matt said eagerly.

He struggled to get down and Hawkeye set them on their feet. "Come on daddy." He picked up Hawkeye's hand and pulled him along. Hawkeye followed in tow, curious as to what they'd been up to.

His eyes widened when he saw it. "Uh oh." He looked down at his sons. "Does mommy know you're doing this?"

"Nope," Matt smiled.

"Well...I'm sure she'll be surprised."

"Wanna help?" James asked.

"Um..." Margaret was going to freak out. "Why don't we go inside and see if dinner is ready. Then we'll talk about finishing it." Whatever _it _was.

"But Mommy said to stay out here."

"Well, I think its okay now."

"Are you sure?" James wanted to know.

"Yes I am. It's almost time for dinner. Go on inside."

"Okay." The boys started to run for the house.

"Wait," Hawkeye called to them. They waited for him on the steps leading up to the back porch. He crouched down when he got to them. "Let's just keep your little project a secret for now. What do you say?"

"Mommy won't like it?" Matt's voice was sad.

"We'll wait until I help you with it, okay?" They nodded. "Okay. Now get inside and wash up for dinner. Your face and your hands." He emphasized hands. Usually those boys would wipe their hands on their pants and then try to sneak back to the table.

Hawkeye opened the door for them and let them run in. When he entered the kitchen he saw Ben sitting at the counter doing school work while Margaret seemed to be finishing up dinner. It was pretty quiet in there except for the noise from Eve banging her toys together on the floor. 

"Hi Dad," Ben looked back at him. 

"Hey bud." Hawkeye kissed his head. "How you doing?" Ben shrugged and went back to his math work. Eve was on her way to him and he bent down and scooped her up. "Hi pumpkin." He kissed her cheek. "Hi." He looked at his wife.

"Hi." She only glanced at him and then turned her attention back to her cooking.

Hawkeye didn't know if she was mad that he hadn't followed her home. Her disposition seemed awkwardly solemn. "I sent the boys upstairs to wash up," he told her quietly, not sure whether she was interested in listening to him.

"Okay." This time she didn't look at him.

Hawkeye sighed quietly and sat down at the table with the baby. It was going to be a long and lonely night. "Why don't you put that aside and help me set the table," he said to Ben.

"This is the last one..." He was concentrating hard.

Hawkeye glanced at his wife. Her back was to him now. He had the feeling that it would have been in his best interest to fall asleep watching television on the couch that night.

Matt walked into the kitchen and over to his father. Hawkeye looked down at him. "Why is your hair wet?" He asked.

"You said to wash my face," the little boy replied.

Ben closed his book and pushed back his chair. "I finished all my homework." He stood up and gathered his materials.

"Go put that away and then come back down here," Hawkeye told him.

"Yes sir."

"Daddy," Matt wrapped his arms around Hawkeye's leg. "Do we have any chocolate cake?"

That sounded like Margaret. "No pal. Besides, we're having dinner now. Not dessert."

Matt grimaced. "What are we havin'?"

"Ziti."

A smile spread across his face. "Yum."

"Do me a favor?" Hawkeye asked. "Play with your sister for a few minutes while we get dinner finished."

"Do I have to?" 

"Matt," Margaret spoke. "What's wrong with playing with your sister?"

"She's boring."

"Oh she is not." Hawkeye sat her down on the floor where her toys were. "Show her how to play with the blocks."

Matt let out a deep sigh. "All right."

Ben ran out of the room and called over his shoulder. "Be right back, Dad."

Hawkeye pulled five plates down and then grabbed a plastic one for the baby. "Do you want to eat in the dining room?" He asked Margaret.

"The breakfast table is fine." The baby's highchair was in there and that was where they normally ate unless they had company or a special dinner.

"Back." Ben said breathlessly. He walked over to his mother who was near the sink. "Can you turn on the water for me?" He was pushing his sleeves up. His mother did as he asked and handed him a little soap. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Hawkeye didn't like the mood in the kitchen. It was terribly uncomfortable and he felt bad for Ben. The poor little boy didn't know where he stood. Margaret was practically giving everyone the cold shoulder, or maybe it was just for him and Ben. "Grab the silverware." He said to his son. 

Hawkeye and Ben set the table and then Hawkeye made the boys sit down. He put the baby in the highchair and then washed his hands. Margaret dished up the food and then took her seat. When Hawkeye sat down she wouldn't even look at him.

Dinner went by slowly. No one hardly said a word. Hawkeye was contemplating spending the night on the couch. It looked like sex was going to be out of the question for a while. He had just started getting used to it again. Now it looked like he was back to watching late night movies with his boxer shorts around his thighs.

"Daddy." Hawkeye looked at Matt. "Can I have some more milk?"

"Sure." He picked up his glass and poured him a little more.

"Thank you." He accepted it with both hands and took a large drink.

"Daddy." Now Jamie was talking to him. "Can we go back outside?"

Margaret intervened. "No, you're going to go upstairs and take your baths."

"Aww...mommy..."

"No." She snapped. "You're going to do as you're told."

"Come on," Hawkeye pushed back his chair and stood up. "I'll start the water for you."

"Can me and Matt take a bath together?" It was always more fun when his little brother was there with him. They were both pretty inventive when it came to playing. They would spend hours in the tub if their parents would allow them. 

"Yes." Hawkeye said before Margaret could object to that. He'd clean up after them, she didn't have to worry about the water and soap all over the bathroom. 

When Hawkeye and the two boys were gone Ben looked over at his mother. "Mom, should I take one after them?" His voice was soft and a little shaky. He just wanted to please her.

"You can go up after you help clean up the kitchen."

He nodded. He sat quietly and finished the rest of the food on his plate. When he was done he sat back in his chair with his hands folded on his lap. "I'm finished now. Can I take my plate to the sink?"

"Go ahead, honey." She was trying to get Eve to finish the rest of her dinner. 

When Hawkeye came back down Margaret was at the sink washing and Ben was wiping down the table. Eve was lying on the floor on her back chewing on a teething ring. He walked over to the sink and picked up a towel. "Do you want me to finish in here?"

"I'm fine."

"I'll dry." He took the plate from her.

"I said I'm fine." She glared at him.

"Margaret, let me help."

"I can do it," she told him sternly.

Hawkeye set the plate down and did the same with the towel. He didn't know why she was so upset. He certainly wasn't the enemy. "Okay." He looked down and then walked away. "Benjamin, you can take a shower in our bathroom," he told his son. "Come on."

"Okay." He set the washcloth down.

"And then you're going to bed," Margaret said loudly.

Ben bowed his head. "Yes ma'am." Hawkeye put his hand on his back and led him upstairs. He got him into the shower and then pulled the other two out of the tub. They were just starting to make a mess.

"Daddy, why is momma mad?" Matt asked him as Hawkeye led them into their room still clad in towels.

"She's not mad at you," Hawkeye told them. "She's just a little upset."

"Why?" Jamie asked.

"You're a couple of chatterboxes tonight, aren't you?"

"Uh huh," they smiled.

"Put your pajamas on, I'll be right back."

Hawkeye walked back to his bedroom to check on Ben. He was just walking out of the bathroom when he walked in. "Daddy..."

"Yeah buddy?"

"I didn't mean to...honest..." His voice was shaking. Hawkeye bent down and picked the seven year old up.

"I know you didn't." He rubbed his back.

Ben had his arms wrapped around Hawkeye's neck. "I'm sorry, I really am."

"I know you are." He knew that Ben wouldn't have done it without having been provoked. Had that kid been stabbing him with a pencil, Hawkeye would have hit him too.

After a few moments Ben picked up his head and looked at his father. "Does Mommy hate me?"

"No. She's just upset. I'm afraid I may have something to do with that too."

Ben laid his head down again. "I don't think she likes me. I tried to tell her how sorry I am, but..." He paused to take a breath. 

"Ben, your mother loves you very much."

"No she doesn't. I'm a bad boy." He was starting to cry harder. 

Hawkeye continued rubbing his back and telling him otherwise, but Ben was just as stubborn as his mother and he refused to believe. After a few more minutes he was able to calm him down enough to convince him to go get dressed. Ben didn't want to leave his father, but Hawkeye assured him that he would be back.

Margaret was sitting on the family room floor with the boys and the baby. They had a game out. Hawkeye wanted to make her go up there, but Ben was expecting him. "Is everything done?"

"Yes." She didn't look up. "Ben's in bed?"

"He's getting there. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She looked up at him then. "Okay." She got to her feet and followed him into the hallway. "What's the matter?" She asked when they were alone.

He turned around and scratched his chin. "We have a problem," he told her.

"What?"

"Margaret, don't get upset by this..."

"What's wrong?" She asked him again, this time more sternly.

"Ben."

"Ben?" She sounded surprised. "What's wrong with Ben?"

"He thinks..." It was hard to say. "He thinks you don't like him."

"What!" Margaret exclaimed. "That's ridiculous!"

"Margaret," she didn't understand him. "He doesn't think you love him anymore because of what happened."

"Oh God." This time it didn't sound as mean. She actually sounded depleted. She put her face in her hand.

"Margaret," he touched her arm. "He's punishing himself."

She straitened up. "I'm going to go talk to him."

But Hawkeye stopped her. "He's really upset. He kept crying over and over what a bad boy he is."

"Where would he get an idea like that? I never told him he was bad."

Sometimes, many times actually, Margaret was guilty of treating Ben as though he was older than his real age because he was her oldest child. She would forget that he was just seven years old from time to time. "He's confused. The child up there thinks his mother doesn't love him anymore. He loves you so much, Margaret."

She had to blink back some tears. "I... he..." She couldn't find the words to say what she wanted.

"He's only seven." 

She nodded. "I know. I have to go to him."

"Wait. I told him I would be back. He's expecting me." She wanted to argue, but she just nodded. "Will you give me a minute?"

"Yes."

Hawkeye headed back up the stairs and Margaret went back into the family. She told the boys to keep an eye on their sister for a few minutes and to call if they needed help. Within three minutes either she or Hawkeye would have to come get Eve. She left them in there and climbed the stairs. Ben's room was last one on the left. She stood in the doorway and listened.

Ben was on his father's lap, his head against his chest. Hawkeye was whispering to him, but Ben was shaking his head. Whatever his father was telling him it was apparent that he didn't believe him. Another few seconds and Ben turned in his father's arms and clung to him as he cried.

Margaret walked in and Hawkeye looked up at her. There was a sense of desperation and sadness in his eyes. She sat down next to him on Benjamin's bed. Very slowly she put her hand on the little boy's back and rubbed it. He was still crying against Hawkeye's chest. After a few minutes when he'd settled down some she said quietly to him. "Honey, I love you very much." He sniffled a few times and peeked at her.

"No, you don't," he squeaked.

"Oh yes I do, more than anything."

"But I...I..." He was working himself up again.

Hawkeye leaned back and looked at his son's face. "Mommy loves you, Ben." He shook his head. 

"I do." Margaret said. "You're very special to me honey." 

He looked at her, his eyes red and puffy. "But you don't like me." He cried.

Margaret reached for him, but he wanted to stay with his father. She felt her heart drop to her stomach. "Ben," she said softly. "What would make you think I don't like you?"

"You...you..." He found it hard to look at her and be able to speak, so he looked at his father. "She didn't want to talk to me. I tried, Daddy. I wanted her to love me still."

Margaret shook her head. Her son was heartbroken. "Ben..."

"Because I'm a bad boy."

"You're not a bad boy." Hawkeye didn't know what to do. He had never seen Ben so upset in his life and Margaret looked like she was on the verge of a break down. "Why don't you talk to Mom now," he suggested.

"Yes. Talk to me, sweetie. Please."

"I'm a bad boy," he said into Hawkeye's shirt. "I'm a bad boy. I'm a bad boy."

"You're not a bad boy," Margaret told him.

"Yes I am."

"Honey, do you know what I was so mad?"

He turned his head slightly and glanced at her. "Because I hit Alex," he said meekly.

"Yes, I am upset that you hit him, but that's not why I was so tough on you." He still had tears running down his face. Margaret stroked his hair. "I worry about you honey. I love you."

"You do?"

"Of course I do! I love you more than anything else in the world."

"I didn't mean to hit him," he told her. "But he was hurting me and he wouldn't stop."

"Why were you teasing him to begin with?" Hawkeye asked.

Ben looked up at his father. "He started picking on me first. Just cause I wouldn't let him cut in line."

Hawkeye looked over at his wife.

"Why didn't you tell the principal that, or even your teacher?"

"I didn't want to be a tattle tale. Alex said I would be if I told." Ben took a deep breath. "I would rather be a tattle take than a bad boy."

"Benjamin Franklin Pierce Jr.," Margaret said sternly. "You are not a bad boy. Do you understand me?"

He shook his head. "I didn't do anything right."

"Come here." Margaret pulled him onto her lap and hugged him. "You shouldn't have hit that boy, but that doesn't make you bad." She could understand that the child was hurting him and she knew what she would have done. More than once she got in trouble for hitting as a child. "You should have told the teacher before it got that far."

"But then I..."

"Ben, if someone is doing something that you know is wrong, you need to tell your teacher." Hawkeye stood up. "I don't want you to get into any more trouble. Okay?"

"Yes sir."

"I'm going to go downstairs." He told his wife. He could hear Matt yelling at Eve to stop. She was probably just trying to play with his cars. He leaned down and kissed Ben's head. "I love you. Sleep well."

"I love you too Daddy." Hawkeye heard him say one last thing to his mother before he was out of ear shot. "Momma, will you stay here with me?"

Hawkeye waited for the answer. "I won't leave you." Then he headed down the stairs.

The next time he saw Margaret was when she brought Eve upstairs to feed her and put her down for the night. After he tucked the other two boys into bed he went out back to clean up the mess from them. Margaret would be livid if she saw what they were using to build their fort. It was actually pretty funny and if she had been in a better mood she might have appreciated it. 

It was close to ten when Hawkeye got back into the house. He jumped in the shower quickly. He thought she was in the basement doing some laundry. She usually did that right before she went to bed. When he came out she still wasn't in their room. He slipped some boxers on and went to check on the children. When he got down to Ben's room he saw her standing in there just watching him sleep.

"Hey," he said softly. "You okay?"

She stretched her arm out to him. When he was close enough she wrapped her arms around his waist. "He's had such a terrible day."

Hawkeye held her. "I know baby." He sighed and rested his chin on the top of her head. "Tomorrow will be better."

"He's suspended from school for the rest of the week." Margaret would never have believed that Benjamin would get suspended for fighting. 

"Well, I'll find some things for him to do around the house."

"I feel so awful." She was speaking in a monotone into his chest.

"Baby, he punished himself harder than you did."

"He thought I hated him." She gripped him tighter. "He thought I didn't love him anymore." Margaret started to cry. "God, I'm such a terrible mother."

"No, no, no." Hawkeye rubbed her back. "No, you're a wonderful mother."

"A wonderful mother wouldn't have made her son feel unloved."

"Honey, he was just upset and tired." He held her tighter. "He knows that you love him."

She shook her head. "He was convinced that I didn't. If he knew I loved him he wouldn't have thought that."

"Honey, he's a little boy who had a bad day. He was mad at himself."

"He doesn't know how much I love him." She couldn't stop crying. "I'm a bad mother."

"Shhh. You're going to wake him." Hawkeye brought her out of the room and into their bedroom. The last thing they needed was for him to wake up and see his mother crying.

"He's such a good boy." Margaret slumped down on the bed. "I disappointed him."

"Margaret, Ben's fine. He went to bed knowing his mother loves him more than anything else in the world."

She wasn't listening very well. "I try my best to take care of him and every day I tell him I love him. That's more than I ever got from my parents. What am I doing wrong?"

"Nothing. Margaret, you sound just like Ben. You're not a bad mother and he's not a bad boy."

"How can you say that?"

He spent thirty minutes earlier trying to convince Ben that his mother loved him, and that still didn't work. She had to talk to him. How was he going to make her see that she was a great mother? He didn't know what to do. "Look, I know you're a great mother. Why don't you take a nice warm bath and relax a little? I'll run the water."

"That's not going to change the fact that I'm a failure."

"Margaret, stop it!" He suddenly snapped. "We have four beautiful, healthy, intelligent children. You are not a failure. You are a wonderful mother. Those kids love you to death."

Margaret sighed and covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry."

"It's been an emotionally tiring day for everyone," he said in a quieter voice. "Why don't you relax in the tub and then climb into bed."

"Oh," she sighed heavily. "I guess."

"Good. Tomorrow is a new day and it'll be better."

"We have to come up with a punishment for him." She followed him into the bathroom.

Hawkeye turned on the hot water and dumped some bubbles into it. "Don't you think he's had enough?" 

She leaned against the counter and watched him. "He can't just have fun around the house all week. That wouldn't teach him anything."

If it was up to him he would have let it all end. Ben punished himself. "Do you have an idea?"

"We've never had to do this before." It was uncharted territory for them as parents. "I feel bad, but letting him spend the next few days like its vacation isn't right either."

He nodded. She had a point. "Let's go easy on him, okay?"

Normally she wouldn't go along with that, but in this case she'd make an exception. She was the reason why her little boy was so upset. "We'll go easy on him."

Hawkeye had decided that Ben had punished himself enough and didn't warrant any further punishment. He humored Margaret by enforcing the guidelines they had talked about the night before, but he was probably far more than lenient than she would have been. Hawkeye let Ben sleep in until nine o'clock and then sat on the couch and watched television with him for an hour. In the afternoon after they had completed their chores, Hawkeye took the baby next door and together he and Ben went down to work on the boat.

"...so instead of filing and sharpening the blades, I'm just going to buy new propellers." He was showing Ben the damaged propellers.

"What's this?" He pointed to another piece that Hawkeye had laid out on the deck.

"That's the rudder." He then proceeded to explain what it was used for. "See the dents and the nicks?"

"Yeah." He traced them with his finger.

"Well, I'm going to..."

"Hey!" Someone was shouting at them from the other side of the dock.

"Oh no," Hawkeye muttered.

"Grandpa!" Ben shouted. "Can I go, Dad?"

"No. He'll come down here." 

Ben waved frantically to his grandfather. It had been weeks since he saw him. "HI!"

"Hey Benny." Dan stood on the shore. "What are you two doing down here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Not today." Ben wasn't proud of what he did. He didn't feel the need to broadcast his mistakes. 

"Is that thing safe, Hawk?"

Of course it was safe. He had his son on there with him. "It's not going anywhere."

Daniel stepped onto the boat and Ben gave him a big hug. Dan patted his back. "What are you doing down here?"

"What does it look like?"

"I'm helping Dad fix up his boat. He said it could be our project. Just me and him." Ben was talking a mile a minute. 

"That was nice of him." Daniel sat down on a bench inside the boat. "Hawk, if he's sick he shouldn't be out here on the water."

Now he cared. Where was he the past few months? "He's not sick," Hawkeye said coolly.

"Oh?" Daniel looked down at his young grandson.

"Was there something you wanted?" Hawkeye interrupted. "I have to pick up the boys in an hour."

"Linda's daughter and her husband are driving up for the weekend. We'd like you and Margaret to come over and have supper with us Friday night." Hawkeye was surprised that they were going to let family come in between their sex schedule.

"I...I don't know."

"Come on Ben..."

"It's hard to find someone who will watch four kids..."

"I'm sure you can find someone by Friday. It'll give you and Margaret a chance to get out of the house. I'm sure your relationship could use a night out."

Hawkeye turned to his son. "Would you go below and find me my flat head screw driver?"

Ben didn't want to leave his grandfather. He was very happy to see him. But he obeyed his father. "Okay."

When he was out of ear shot Hawkeye told him "Margaret and I are doing just fine."

"I wasn't implying anything. I just thought you might like a little adult conversation. It can be stressful taking care of children, I know."

Hawkeye glared at his father. "We are all doing just fine."

"Are you? I know it can be hard getting it up when you've been around screaming kids all day."

"My kids are not screamers."

"They're kids. Their mother is a screamer." 

"What?" Hawkeye snapped.

Daniel grinned. "I remember when your house was getting fumigated when you two were first married." They had stayed with Dan for a few days. "I think Ben was conceived then."

"Oh my God. What makes that your business?" Back then his father had been disgusted by it and Margaret had been so embarrassed she avoided her father in law for two weeks. Now here he was talking about it like it was funny.

"Ben, I was just joking with you. Lighten up."

"She's my wife!"

"What a lucky man. Or at least you used to be."

Hawkeye clenched his fists. It would be wrong to deck his father. "Dad, drop it. Margaret and I are very happy. We love our kids and we don't mind spending all our time with them." Truth was they could use a night out, but that wasn't his father's business. And he didn't really want to spend that night out with his father and that woman.

"I'll call your wife. I know how you can be about passing on invitations."

"And I know how you can be about resending them," Hawkeye snapped back.

"What was that?"

"You heard me," Hawkeye growled. Daniel was aware of how he'd hurt Jamie by breaking his promise. At that moment Ben came back up.

"Here you go dad," he handed the screw driver to him.

"Thank you."

"I'll call Margaret and talk to her about it," Daniel said again. He looked down at Ben. "See you later sport."

"Bye Grandpa."

"Bye Hawk."

"Yeah." He waved back at him, not looking up. After a moment he looked at Ben. "Can you hand me that wrench over there?"

"Here Dad." Ben sat back and watched his father for a couple of minutes. "Are you mad at Grandpa?"

"Why do you ask?" He knew that was coming.

Ben shrugged. "It's just.. you're not very nice to him."

"Sure I am."

"I don't think so." Ben knew if he treated anyone like that he would be in all kinds of trouble. "Are you mad cause he made Jamie cry?"

Hawkeye glanced up. "That's a part, yes. Don't worry about it. Children and parents get mad at each other all the time, but it will be okay."

Ben nodded. "I know about that. Mommy was maaad at me."

"That's a little different," Hawkeye told him gently. "But I think you got the point."

"Do you think Mommy's gonna be mad that I'm out here?"

"Why would she?" Hawkeye asked. "You did your chores and now you're helping me."

"I guess you're right."

"Look, if she gets mad, she'll get mad at me. Not you."

"That's not fun either," Ben told him.

Hawkeye laughed. "You don't know the half of it."


End file.
